Worthdale Community Center updates include gym air conditioning | Raleigh News & Observer

A new air conditioning system will make it easier for visitors to the Worthdale Community Center’s gymnasium to play as hard as they want, even on the hottest days of the year.

An $800,000 renovation to the Southeast Raleigh center also includes improvements for people with disabilities, mechanical updates, replacement of the building’s facade and new flooring, paint and lighting.

The center first opened in 1963 and is one of the area’s oldest.

Carletta Moore, the center’s director, said the updates will enhance visitors’ experience. She’s excited about a new lobby and greeting area that will provide a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

“I think it will be more inviting to the people we serve in the community,” she said.

The center, located off Sunnybrook Road, was closed from November to early May for the renovations. An open house is planned for Tuesday.

Thousands of people visit the center each month for camps and classes and to play on the courts, fields and playground or to walk a trail that connects to the city’s greenway system.

Viola Bullock, who lives near the center, said she and her husband were glad to see the trail added several years ago. They used to drive to Chavis Park to walk a trail but find it far more convenient to live within walking distance of one.

She said the most recent round of improvements at Worthdale Community Center will further enhance the experience for other visitors.

“I really do think it will be more attractive and more people will come there,” she said.

The project was funded as part of the city’s annual capital improvement program, which includes money for repairs and updates to parks and recreation facilities each year.