West Seattle community centers: New schedules announced

With changes in community-center operations around the city – including Southwest Community Center changing into a Teen Life Center and Neighborhood Service Center – that means different hours in the new year, as new “tiered” levels of service take effect. Seattle Parks announced those hours today; here’s the overview. In West Seattle, High Point Community Center – this area’s “tier 1” center – will be open 7 days a week, but all others will be open six days, except for Alki Community Center, whose schedule is five days a week. The community-center hours are all listed here, while the teen-program hours (including Southwest) are here.

DC December 16, 2011 (11:08 pm)

Does this change mean that swimming lessons and open swim times will not be available at Southwest any more?

WSB December 16, 2011 (11:23 pm)

The swimming pool is not affected. Aside from the fact that it will share an entrance with a teen-life center/neighborhood service center, instead of a community center. – TR

RS December 16, 2011 (11:47 pm)

Wait, this is extremely confusing. If Hiawatha is only open from 1-9pm, does that mean the toddler gym mentioned in the winter 2012 catalog on Thurs from 10-2 is gone? Or is that a “class”?

Andrea December 17, 2011 (7:53 am)

I love the teen program with HPCC. I had never really spent the time to understand what a community center does and how it supports my community until my son(12) started showing interest in “hanging out” there after school and on early release days. I have seen a higher interest in volunteering and general participation in extra curricular activities to name a couple. As a matter of fact I just picked him up from his first “lock in” there and he had a great time. The friendships that are enhanced and the social skills that activities like this support is so good for my son. Our Teen Centers help keep our vulnerable young men and women involved in positive activities like this and have an invaluable impact on our community. I am proud that my son is part of it. :)

Holli December 20, 2011 (4:54 pm)

Thanks for sharing this. I was just asking staff at the Delridge Community Center last Wednesday, and they had not been told yet.

A shout out to any Skaters using the new Delridge Skatepark or Soccer/field sports folks:
Do you want the center open on Sundays or later on the weekend?

Seems like with the nearly 4 million invested in a new field and skatepark, the need and use of the DCC is up.

But from a business and fiscally sustainable standpoint, Community Centers aren’t serving the community if they are open and no one uses them. So, I understand why we’re seeing all the cuts. It’s a starting point. Let’s make sure we make our needs known moving forward.

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