The new zero net energy Burlingame Community Center is a vital and bustling community amenity, providing a broad offering of recreation services and programs for all ages. In planning for a new community center, City staff, stakeholders, and the community worked closely with the design team to assess community needs for recreation services, explore building program concepts, review potential site alternatives, and develop options which best serve the needs of patrons and strengthen the identity of the Burlingame community.
Economic vitality, promoting physical, emotional, and mental health and wellness for all generations, and fostering sustainability were project goals from the onset. The design team and the City produced a comprehensive engagement process which revealed the community’s preferred development option was a new community center in its existing location within Washington Park in the heart of Burlingame. Multi-generational spaces which foster social cohesion and interactivity, including a large community room, dance and fitness spaces, art and maker spaces, and classrooms for flexible use were identified as high priorities, in addition to spaces dedicated to children’s, teen, and senior programming. The new community center reflects the community’s commitment to sustainability and stewardship of natural and cultural resources critical for a vibrant future for all of Burlingame. The community center is zero net energy, powered by rooftop solar panels, and includes a green roof with an emergency back-up generator so that the center can be a gathering place during emergency events, and incorporates sustainable finishes and landscaping.
Since opening, the Burlingame Community Center has become an anchor for an active community. The new Community Center was designed to have spaces to connect people, learn new skills, and be physically active and bring the outdoors inside and the inside outdoors. Since its opening, family memories have been created through celebrating weddings, birthdays, celebrations of life, baptisms, and engagement parties. The facility, with its dedicated senior spaces has supported continued learning and promoted emotional and mental wellness for the aging community. The addition of the Teen Scene has provided a daily place for youth to congregate in a safe and supportive space. The Kids Town offers a “rainy day” playground that is open for free drop-in use. The caregivers have noted that they truly appreciate a space to let kids run around and play with friends when the weather makes it infeasible to do so outside. |