City leaders in San Francisco recently celebrated the opening of a new community center on the south side of the city.
The 45,000-square-foot Southeast Community Center is located at 1550 Evans Ave. and includes a child care center, cafe, free Wi-Fi and public workspaces, according to a statement from San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
“One of the many things that makes me proud about San Francisco is the way people come together,” Breed said. “Now with the new Southeast Community Center, neighbors, families and visitors can enjoy these amazing open spaces and state-of-the-art facilities to support learning and play.”
The community center contains $1 million worth of local art commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission, according to Breed’s statement.
The works include “Promissory Notes” by Mildred Howard, “Building a Better Bayview” by Phillip Hua, and “Navigating The Historical Present: Bayview-Hunters Point,” by Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle.
“We are thrilled and honored to present a robust collection of three new site-specific commissioned works and a collection of two-dimensional art purchased from local artists with deep ties to the community,” said Ralph Remington, director of cultural affairs for the Arts Commission. “These artists celebrate the African diaspora while honoring the ancestral legacy of the people who built this neighborhood.”
The new center is meant to replace the Southeast Community Facility located at 1800 Oakdale Ave., which needed extensive repairs.
“We have been working very hard to realize the promise we made to our community to offer them a place to learn and gather; it is very exciting to know that this commitment came to fruition,” said San Francisco County Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton.
The property includes two acres of open space, an amphitheater, gardens, outdoor dining areas, and playgrounds.