Initiated by the Town of Herndon, the Herndon Community Center was first built in 1979. At the time it was a 15,000-square-foot facility equipped with a gym, rest rooms, small meeting rooms and office space. Six years later in 1985 another 4,000 square feet were added to the center. These additions included a fitness facility, game room and multi-purpose rooms. Then in 1989 the center added another 44,000 square feet. This expansion included an indoor pool, multi-purpose room, racquetball courts and weight room. Today the center is a fully-equipped center catering to the many interests of the community.
THE INDOOR POOL gives area residents access to a pool year round. For the safety of young children, the pool requires that children age 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult, while children 5 and under must be accompanied by a parent. The gymnasium is one of the home locations of the Herndon Optimist Basketball League and used for leisure indoor basketball. To use the gymnasium children must be age 10 or older. The fitness facility is open to children age 14 and older. The center's outdoor facilities include tennis courts, playground, soccer field and basketball court. The outdoor facilities host Herndon Youth Soccer, Baseball and Softball.
Not only does the center provide access to facilities, it also provides instruction for the use of their facilities. The staff offers swimming lessons from 6 months to beginning adults. They even have their own swimming teams. The Herndon Halibuts is open to children ages 5 to 18 and the Herndon Commanders is open to children ages 5 to 13 and up. Both teams have open try outs. In addition to swimming lessons, the center also offers tennis lessons, dance classes such as pre-ballet and tap/jazz and chess class. Aerobic classes are also held at the center, they include classes such as "Cardio Plus" and "Step and Sculpt." Yoga, Pilates, and karate are also on the center's list of classes. Babysitting is available for children 12 months and older during morning classes for parents who are registered for a class.
CINDY S. ROEDER, recreation services manager of the center, credits the center's wide array of activities and camps to the "feedback from council members or individuals themselves."
The center's activities and camps appeal to all ages. They offer sports camps such as tennis, soccer, and basketball. There is a teen discovery camp for children ages 12 to 15. Some of the activities the teens part take in are going to amusement parks, rock climbing and visiting the Holocaust Museum. The preschool play camp for children ages 3 to 5 offers different themes for each week of camp such as "Fairy Tales" and "Hands Around the World." The center also offers dance, theater, gymnastics, and nature discovery camps.
The center caters to seniors as well. Programs include "Senior Cinema," a free showing of a movie and outings such as a trip to the Kennedy Center to watch the musical, "The Producers" are offered.
Due to the lack of attendance programs such as in-line hockey are sometimes removed "or they are just fads," Roeder said.
She said the center has been unable to offer pre-natal fitness classes because they do not have a certified instructor. Despite such obstacles Roeder said the center offers a lot of special interest classes such as stamping which is currently popular. Usually, classes offered are based on its current popularity.
OVER THE YEARS the center has become host to private parties and meetings. It is able to accommodate up to 375 people for sit-down functions and up to 100 people for meetings. It offers a birthday special which includes cake, punch, goodie bags, decorations, and use of the swimming pool, which can reduce the hassles of planning a party at home. For about 15 years the center has been host to Herndon High's all-night graduation party.
ONCE AGAIN, construction is planned for this coming December. A 12,200-square-foot addition to the center is planned where some existing space will be demolished. The expansion will include a new multi-purpose room, lobby, rest rooms, vending area, kitchen and new staff office space. The estimated costs of the construction is $3.5 million. Completion of the renovation is anticipated in Spring 2006.
For more information on the center call 703-435-6868 or visit the Web site at www.herndon-va.gov.