After many years of research, planning, and a year of construction, the City of Concord's City Wide Community Center opened in June of this year.
The “new” Harriet P. Dame School, which opened at the site in 1942, replaced a 1904 four-room school house, also called the Dame School. Both facilities were named for Harriet Patience Dame, a Concord resident, battlefield nurse and Civil War hero. To accommodate the baby-boomer generation, the school underwent many additions from 1953 through 1965.
Many people who went to school at the Dame School have returned to visit “their” former school. It has changed but still contains some of its original character and many people have commented how they appreciate the blending of the old and the new. The current structure utilizes 13,817 square feet of the former school building and has 16,926 square feet of new construction. Recognizing the community’s affection for the former elementary school which once occupied this site, as well as the heroic contributions of its namesake, the City of Concord has proudly named the Center’s auditorium in honor of Harriet Patience Dame.
The City Wide Community Center also includes the Concord Parks and Recreation Department’s offices, a part-time Heights Branch of the Concord Public Library, a high school gymnasium, locker rooms, five multi-purpose program rooms, two group exercise rooms, a Senior Lounge, a teaching and prep kitchen off of the auditorium, and exterior patios. It is located next to Keach Park, which offers field space for leagues, a lighted basketball and tennis court, and an outdoor pool which is open during the summer months. The park will also feature a half-mile walking path around the perimeter of the park; that is set to be finished in the spring of 2019.
The new center is open year round. During the summer months, it is home for the department’s numerous youth camps. But adults can utilize the Center as well through drop-in sports and exercise classes, or by signing up for one of Concord Parks and Rec’s many adult programs, which have included foreign languages, art, music, cooking, yoga, fitness, and more. Many of the Center’s amenities are open to residents of the greater Concord area, so you do not need to live in Concord to utilize it.
The new City Wide Community Center is available for rent and is an ideal location for many different occasions, including business meetings, lectures and family parties. The center contains several rooms with AV equipment and free Wi-Fi access throughout the building.
For more information about the City Wide Community Center, visit www.concordparksandrec.com or stop by the facility at 14 Canterbury Road, Concord.