Calipatria youth rec center gets a facelift
CALIPATRIA — The home of two local non-profits that serve the kids in this community has been spruced up.
The newly rechristened Calipatria Youth Sports and Recreations Center, 210 N. Railroad Ave., has a fresh outside paint job, new landscaping, new flooring and a children’s section.
The center is the home of both the Calipatria Little League and Best STEP Forward, an organization that creates activities for neurodiverse children.
A ribbon-cutting was held Saturday evening, following six weeks of renovation work. Board members from both non-profits were in attendance.
With four new receptionist desks, a seating area and the children’s section, the two non-profits now have suitable accommodations to accept sign-ups for their programs. The setup hadn’t been quite so convenient or inviting in the past. It was treated mostly like an open storage space with miscellaneous items scattered throughout.
Have usable space to process paperwork is especially important for Calipatria Little League. As a courtesy service, it submits a grant application on behalf of every child who signs up to help cover the $80 registration fee.
Because this city has no parks and recs department, the Calipatria Youth Sports and Recreations Center will truly be a hub for all things pertaining to youth sports and recreation. Best STEP Forward offers flag football sign-ups, among other things. The non-profit took over what was formerly known as Calipatria Police Activities League.
It is currently using the same non-profit ID as the Calipatria PAL, and an official name change is in the process, Best STEP Forward’s Chief Executive Officer Jacqueline Estrada-Riddell said.
Aside from traditional sports, Best STEP has programs for Imperial Valley youths who are differently abled. The non-profit is an inclusive group and celebrates neurodiversity, providing music, dance, baseball and soccer programs the kids it serves.
These activities are captured on a mural that now wraps around the outside of the newly renovated rec center. A coat of bright blue paint behind the new mural causes the space to stand out in its neighborhood, which currently has dirt paths in lieu of sidewalks.
The rear of the facility was previously dirt, with plenty of broken glass bottles, according to Estrada-Riddell.
“It was hideous,” she recalled.
That dirt is now covered with brick paths and a new community garden.
The garden is open to kids, as well as senior citizens, to plant flowers, fruits and vegetables.