By Edmond Ortiz
Harlandale neighborhood residents recently marked the opening of a new community center while the city is beginning the replacement of two other community centers in Midtown and on the South Side.
Harlandale ISD
Leaders with the Harlandale Independent School District gathered Aug. 7 to formally dedicate Edmundo M. Zaragoza Multipurpose Center at 906 March Ave.
Funded by Harlandale ISD’s voter-approved 2022 bond, the facility will accommodate a variety of district activities, such as basketball and volleyball tournaments, fine arts showcases, theatrical performances, student competitions, professional development and other large-scale events.
Located on the edge of Stinson Park, the Zaragoza center is also open for use by other school districts and different kinds of community organizations. The center also sits near the Harlandale ISD Memorial Stadium.
Kenwood Community Center
Construction has just begun on a new Kenwood Community Center at 305 Dora St.
In 2024, the city demolished the former community center, as it was deemed structurally unsound.
Partially funded with city bond money, this project includes the construction of a new 8,800-square-foot community center at Kenwood Park.
The new facility will feature learning, arts, crafts, and fitness spaces, nutritional services, among other amenities, city representatives said.
Additionally, the new community center will host senior citizen services, and a satellite City Council District 1 office. The city is also incorporating a public art element at the new facility.
Local officials said the new Kenwood Community Center, much like its predecessor, will attract residents from other nearby neighborhoods such as Edison, Olmos Park Terrace, Shearer Hills and Northmoor.
According to the city, construction will be finished in fall 2027.
Father Manuel Roman Community Center
The city has also started construction on a new Father Manuel Roman Community Center at 11030 Ruidosa St.
The former Father Manuel Roman Community Center, which first opened in the 1980s at Villa Coronado Park, was deemed structurally unsafe and razed in early 2025.
The new 12,000-square-foot facility will include a lobby, a gymnasium, two classrooms for community programs, and dedicated office space for city parks and recreation department staff.
Exterior improvements will offer enhanced access between the new center and the park’s basketball court, and new signage will be installed on the structure.
Additionally, the city’s arts and culture department is developing a public art initiative to honor the community center’s namesake, as the previous structure bore a mural that included a portrayal of Roman, but that mural was not salvaged during the building’s demolition. The total project is estimated to cost $12 million.
City officials said they plan to reinstate various community services, and expand parks and recreation programming at the site. Construction is slated for completion in summer 2027.
