Lauri Ann West Community Center is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its O’Hara facility — and they’re giving a week’s worth of gifts to the community.
A free event, Celebrate the Center — Community Days, will offer a slew of vibrant programs that give residents a glimpse of what’s offered year-round. From Sept. 29 through Oct. 3, people can stop in for lectures, immunizations, trivia and fitness.
“The magic of a community center is bringing people together who may not otherwise cross paths,” Executive Director Heidi Ward said.
“Celebrate the Center is our invitation to come through the doors, try something new and find your place here.”
Construction of the $9.3 million Lauri Ann West Community Center kicked off in 2014. It was built on the same 11-acre property where the beloved but cramped Boyd Community Center was situated for decades.
Named for Lauri Ann West, a third grader who died in 1966 after a fall on the property, the building was named in her memory thanks to donations from the West family, O’Hara and many community groups.
Today, the center sees more than 11,000 visits a month from residents of the Fox Chapel Area School District and beyond.
It has grown to offer more than 150 programs a year, all under the motto of “building connections, expanding horizons and impacting lives.”
The center features a paid fitness center, a full-size gym, elevated walking trail, live music, children’s classes, STEM program, pickleball courts and group exercise classes. There is an after-school arts and enrichment program that spurs the creativity of nearly 100 children.
Shannon Smith, director of communications and community engagement, said membership is not required.
“You don’t have to be a member to come here for any reason,” she said. “We have day passes for $10 to participate in fitness classes, but anyone can stop in, grab something to eat and work in the café.”
There are an array of programs for all interests, including lectures and music on the patio.
The center also is offering a first-time collaboration with Fox Chapel Area Adult Education to offer “Tasting Wine Like a Professional” on Oct. 7.
“Our organization does more than provide opportunities for active living and building knowledge and skill,” Smith said.
“We are a safe and inclusive place that fosters friendships, strengthens connections and creates a sense of belonging that makes our community truly special.”
Among the anniversary week’s offerings are:
• A free coffee station from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 29 near the welcome desk in recognition of National Coffee Day and to help kick off Community Days.
• “Talking Across Differences,” a nonpartisan conversation about this fall’s election and beyond, scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29. The panel moderated by Fox Chapel Area teacher Jen Klein will include political experts Dana Brown, Jon Delano and Emily Holmes. Discussion will include relevant issues, why potential candidates should consider running, the media’s role and finding compromise.
• A session on fraud and scams, hosted by O’Hara and the state Attorney General’s Office. The program is scheduled at 2 p.m. Oct. 1 and will focus on suspicious emails and phone calls. It also will include steps people can take if they fall victim to a scam.
• An immunization clinic offered by Giant Eagle pharmacy. Hosted from 7 to 11 a.m. Oct. 2 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 3, the clinic will offer seven vaccines for adults and children.
• Trivia night from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 2. A night of fun and friendly competition, for teams of up to five.
• An open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 3 will offer fitness and children’s activities, as well as tours of the building, including the newly renovated fitness center. The fitness classes will be offered with a reservation. Experts will lead 10 group classes, including family-friendly circuit training, Mixxed Fit, spinning, mat Pilates and yoga.
Longtime member and supporter Suzanne Alexander said the special week of programs is a perfect way for people to visit and experience all that the facility has to offer.
“Our community center is one of a kind,” she said. “There is something for everyone regardless of where you live, your abilities, your age, wage or politics. I’m especially excited about the nonpartisan panel discussion about the mid-term elections. The timing is perfect for our neighbors to participate in an objective event about our democracy.”
Organizers are hoping to host the Community Days events every other year, alternating with the center’s fundraising gala.
“For 10 years, the center has been a place where people come to move, learn, play and, most importantly, connect with one another,” Ward said.
“Community Days is an opportunity to open our doors even wider and invite the entire community to experience what happens here every day. Whether you join us for a fitness class, bring your family to trivia night, attend a community conversation or simply stop in to see the center, we hope people leave feeling a little more connected to their neighbors and to this community. That sense of belonging is really at the heart of who we are and where we want to go in our next 10 years.”