Phoenix’s newest community center will open to the public Thursday. It’s the city’s first center to be built since 2007.
The Cesar Chavez Community Center was built in Chavez Park in Laveen Village in southwest Phoenix. The $12 million project was funded through the voter-approved Parks and Preserve Initiative, which sets aside 1 cent of sales tax for every $10 of purchases to improve and expand parks and preserves.
The 34,000-square-foot center includes an elevated track, a basketball court, fitness center, gaming room and a sensory room — that’s a specially designed area to help people with autism and others develop and engage their senses in a safe space.
An art installation sharing a timeline of Cesar Chavez’s life and legacy will be showcased. The center also features a kitchen, meeting rooms and an outdoor movie area. A public open house will take place Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. The center is located at 7858 S. 35th Ave., which is off 35th Avenue, just south of Baseline Road.
