SLP COMMUNITY CENTER
6212 West Lake Street

The following was written by Dorothea Nelson, Superintendent of Recreation, in October 1955.  She is speaking about the old community center, now long gone, that was on Lake Street.  For more information see Community Center and Rec Center.

For years the St. Louis Park Recreation Planning Committee had kept some form of recreation alive through various donations and grants from WPA, etc. In April of 1948 -- at the request of the Planning Committee -- a year-around Recreation Superintendent was hired. The allocation came from the St. Louis Park Community Fund who then had their own drive in the Park. The School Board and Park Board contributed money to run a limited Playground and Municipal Athletic Program. This arrangement continued (with increasing allocations) until 1955 when a RECREATION COMMISSION came into being. This was possible because of the vote of the people at an annual School Board election in May of 1954.

For seven years the Recreation Department functioned under the guidance and direction of the RECREATION PLANNING COMMITTEE. During the last year it has been operating under the RECREATION COMMISSION -- a legal body created by an ordinance adopted by the School Board and the City Council. It is composed of 5 members -- one appointed by the School Board, one by the City Council and one by the Park Board with two members at-large.

When this transition took place -- the St. Louis Park Community Fund (who had in the meantime joined the Hennepin County Chest) decided to divert the funds they had been contributing to the Recreation Department --to the COMMUNITY CENTER. The Community Center building-belongs to the City of St. Louis Park, but the staff and supplies for running the program come from the allocation of funds given by the St. Louis Park Community Fund. The program and the staff at the Center are under the direction of the Superintendent of Recreation and the Recreation Commission. The repairs and maintenance are done by the Park Board because the Center is a city building. [In 1956 there were 2 full time directors and 8 or 10 part time directors.]

In 1950 the old Holy Family Church was for sale for $400. The Park Board purchased it and moved it for $2,000 to park property at 6212 West Lake Street where it now stands. In the next two years the building got a foundation, windows, plumbing, light, heat, etc. For the amount of around $10,000, the City now has a Community Center whose estimated worth is $35,000.



We then asked for donations to furnish the building. Civic groups and individuals responded generously. The St. Louis Park Woman's Club, the Lion's Club and the St. Louis Park Community Fund gave the big start -- then the Golden Agers swung into line. The list of donors to date is as follows: American Legion, War Mothers, Brookside Garden Club, Community Fund, Mrs. Sykes, John Billman, Mrs. Harriet Roseberry, Chester Hyland, Mrs. Janes, Thompson Lumber Co., Citizen's State Bank, Sam Segal, Ecklund and Swedlund Contractors, Square Dancers, Dr. Walter Johnson, Mr. E. C. Foss and Clifford Lucian.

A common project in a fast growing community is a fine thing to weld people together. A hockey rink has been added and the building is now practically complete.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.