The closure of Lee Community and Senior Center, at 5722 Lee Highway, is set for the end of this year.
Lee Community and Senior Center
The center, which is part of the building operated by the Dept.of Park and Recreation, was flagged for review in the budget process last year.
“This facility is aging and in need of significant capital investment,” wrote Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz, at the time. “In addition, existing programming at the Lee Center could be evaluated for movement to other locations or programs.”
In the latest budget proposal, Schwartz includes six months of funding to keep the center running through the end of the year before DPR programs move out.
Susan Kalish, the park department spokeswoman told ARLnow that Lee Community Center is not included in the proposed FY 2021 Budget that was unveiled last Tuesday. “DPR will be moving all of its existing programs out of Lee to Langston-Brown, the new Lubber Run and Madison Community Centers,” she said.
However, according to county spokeswoman Erika Moore, the move will not affect the Lee Arts Center in the building, which is proposed to remain funded in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget.
“The County has not determined next steps for the building and the Lee Arts Center,” Kalish said.
According to the DPR, current programming changes to expect at the Lee Highway facility include;
The relocation of Lee 55+ programs to Lubber Run, Langston-Brown and Madison Community Centers beginning fall 2020.
The Lee Cooperative Playgroup programming will end in December and reopen in nearby Langston-Brown in January 2021.
Arlington classes will be relocated to other locations by summer 2020.
The Langston-Brown Community Center is located a mile east of the Lee Community Center.
“While we understand change is difficult, we believe that this change will allow us to provide the best programs and services we can to our community,” Kalish said of the community center’s closure. “Over the course of the year we will be connecting with community stakeholders about the move so that prior to December, everyone knows about the change and will know where to go to get the programs and services they value.”
Charity W. is a professional and skilled writer with a diploma in Mass Communication. When she is not glued to her computer screen, Charity spends her time reading, traveling, and watching movies. She is an expert on Arlington Virginia and keeps current with local events and occurrences.
