The Need/Opportunity

Imagine with us a place where active senior citizens are dancing in Zumba class, first-time homebuyers are taking a finance workshop, and young kids are playing indoor soccer or basketball. Along the halls are the artwork of Englewood artists on display.

High school students flood in just in time to begin their media production class.  You hear the sounds of laughter and music.  There are people from all walks of life and every ethnicity, class, and gender.  Every sector of Englewood is represented.  It is a communal space that brings people together to learn and grow and build genuine relationships with others.  This is what the Englewood Community Center could be.

For decades, residents have asked for a community center in Englewood.  Residents desire a place for their children to hang out after school and receive enrichment and recreation activities.  Senior residents want to be active and engaged through classes and volunteer opportunities.  Others want a place to learn new skills or meet up with other residents.  They want a central location to gather.   Though the request has been made numerous times, Englewood still remains without a community center.  Regardless of the reasons why it has not happened in the past, we have a prime opportunity before us now.  

Englewood Community Center, Inc. proposes a partnership with the City of Englewood to build and operate a community center at Russel C. Major Liberty School.  This would be a new, state-of-the-art facility that would provide enough space to meet the various needs of the community. 

We’ve heard people say, what about a smaller space?  Or can’t we just make-do with the high-quality yet limited present opportunities for residents to grow and experience community?  We push back.  The matter of a community center in Englewood is too large to settle for anything less than a communal, state-of-the-art facility.  This is not the time to “make-do.” Englewood residents deserve the best!  

We’ve also heard people ask why a community center?  Well, why not?  Many thriving communities have a community center, and Englewood should be no exception.  More importantly, the opportunities that could be available in a community center do not presently exist in Englewood.  To the extent that we want Englewood residents to thrive and live full complete lives, a community center offers us the opportunity to do so.  

For too long, we have waited for a community center in Englewood.  Should the residents have to wait any longer?