Aitken Senior and Community Center Reopening
Photo: Hayward Area Recreation & Park District
Friday’s event will include a ukulele performance, a local poetry reading, a hula dance, a guitar jam and band dance, guided tours, and a ceremonious ribbon cutting. The building was constructed in 1989.
After a yearlong hiatus, the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior and Community Center is scheduled to reopen this Friday, December 1, at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon cutting, music, and performances by local artists. The public is welcome to attend.
Constructed in 1989, the cherished hub for senior-oriented programs, preschool activities, arts, and community programs, the building has been closed since October 2022 after Hayward Area Recreation & Park District (H.A.R.D.) determined that the 34-year-old building at 17800 Redwood Road needed several upgrades.
Friday’s grand re-opening will also spotlight various local artists, including a Ukulele performance by Christine, a Poetry Reading featuring local poet Bruce, a Hula dance performance by Phyllis, a guitar jam demo, and a Len and Richard Dorfi Band Dance. Guided tours of the campus will also be available to the public.
“The revitalization of the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior and Community Center reflects the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District's dedication to creating spaces that resonate with the spirit of our community,” H.A.R.D. board of directors president Rick Hatcher told the Forum.
On the outside, the Center is getting an overhaul, from its roof to improved accessible site access and parking. On the inside, visitors will notice new commercial flooring, upgraded lighting, revamped restroom facilities, enhanced transaction counter accessibility, and a fresh coat of paint.
The Center includes two main halls, each with its own kitchen, and seven smaller rooms for separate activities. There is also a patio area for entertainment and outdoor-specific functions. Hatcher noted that enhancements to the facility are expected to pave the way for additional programs and activities.
Construction on the Senior and Community Center was a collaboration between the contractor Calstate Construction, TBP/Architecture, project consultants, various Alameda County agencies, and H.A.R.D. staff was pivotal to the project’s success.
The improvements were paid for in part by the passage of the $250,000,000 Measure F1 bond that 78% of local voters approved in 2016. Hatcher added that H.A.R.D. used the rest of the funding to make improvements to renovations at the Mission Hills Driving Range, Kennedy Park, Mia's Dream Come True Playground, Hayward Community Gardens, and various updates to tennis and basketball courts.