Despite gloomy skies overhead, a jubilant crowd of local and state dignitaries and neighborhood residents celebrated the groundbreaking of a new, multimillion-dollar community facility in the Alisal district of Salinas.
Once complete, the 7,500-square-feet Hebbron Family Center on Fremont Street, will include two community rooms, two meeting rooms, teen lounge and a kitchen, along with outdoor gathering spaces, a resurfaced parking lot and multi-use sports court.
It will also feature improved landscaping, trees and lighting.
The multi-generational space will be operated by the Recreation-Park Division of the Library & Community Services Department and offer programs to residents of all ages, from tiny tots to teens and seniors.
Construction, led by lead contractor Diede Construction, Inc. is expected to start in October with the grand opening estimated for May 2025.
The 'community deserves this'
During the groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 28, Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig told the audience the project got its start after she and city staff took a tour of the old Hebbron recreation center four years ago.
"The entire building was falling off its foundation," Craig said. "It had cracks on the wall."
The dilapidated building, which had operated as a recreation and neighborhood services center since 1980, had been red-tagged. Craig learned the building would require a lot of money to fix and may need to be bulldozed.
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But this was all happening during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the city was facing a multimillion-dollar deficit and scrambling to get vaccines for workers, Craig said.
So, they put a pin in it, she said, and began the process of looking for funding to construct a new community center for the Alisal neighborhood.
It turns out the city did not have to wait long. Within a year, Craig said, due to the actions of partnering state and federal legislators, money was raised to fund the construction of a new facility and improved lot.
According to city staff, the total project cost is more than $14.6 million, and is funded through the state, American Rescue Plan Act , Community Development Block Grant and City General Funds.
"So yes, you can clap at that," said Craig to a round of applause. "This is an incredible day, and the community deserves it, and we are excited to break ground."
Craig was joined by state Sen. Anna Caballero, and representatives from the offices of Congress member Zoe Lofgren, Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo and Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas .
New center means more opportunities for the community
Sandra Aguilar, who was standing nearby with her two kids watching the ceremony, said she has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years and was excited to see the Hebbron community center come back.
In its heyday, the city provided upwards of 100 programs at the center. Aguilar's oldest son used to attend classes there.
"It was an opportunity for little kids to experience school activities but without the rigid system," Aguilar said. "It was singing, reading books, coloring, doing art and it was all in a safe space."
"I'm excited that they are building it again because it means there's more opportunities for the community," she added.
In addition to the new community center, the Alisal neighborhood has seen the city make improvements to nearby Cesar Chavez Park, including installing a new synthetic soccer field, expanding the walking path, and undertaking playground repairs.
Over the next few months, according to city staff, new exercise equipment will be installed.
More than a recreation center
Like the tree in Shel Silverstein's famous children's story, "The Giving Tree," the old Hebbron facility has lived many lives in the service of its neighboring community.
At first, Hebbron was a church, built in 1934.
Then in 1980 it became a multi-use recreation center for the city, where neighbors of all ages could gather together to socialize, take classes or pursue a new hobby.
When the building fell into disrepair, the surrounding lot was used to distribute food to local residents by the county food bank.
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Jesus Angel Diaz, artistic director of Alma y Tradicion Baile Folklórico at the Alisal Center for the Fine Arts used to attend activities at two Salinas recreation centers, the Breadbox Recreation Center and the one at Hebbron.
In remarks to the crowd, Diaz, who is known professionally as El Azteca, said before he became a professional dancer, he knew he had limited prospects. He could be a gang member or a field worker. Being a field worker is respectable, Diaz said, but very difficult. And he would have felt stuck in life.
"Somewhere in the mid-2000s, I found a place where I could be whatever I wanted to be," said Diaz, describing his time at Salinas recreation centers playing sports, learning arts and crafts and going on countless field trips.
"All of which taught me that anything is possible," he said, adding that he went from being homeless at 7 years old to working for the city of Salinas. "Through all the giveaways, food services, teen scenes on Saturday nights and even days where I just got to sit on the couch, I learned that the most important thing we have as a people is community."
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Groundbreaking of new family center in east Salinas brings out local, state dignitaries
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