‘Legacy still lives.’ Lexington celebrates renovations to historic community center
A historic community center in Lexington’s northside just got a major facelift.
Lexington officials celebrated the grand reopening of the Dunbar Community Center Monday. The community center, which originally housed Dunbar High School, has a new roof, new paint, flooring and lighting throughout the building, an upgraded fitness room and a podcast studio.
Dunbar High School opened as a segregated high school for Black Lexington residents in 1923 and was known as one of the highest quality schools for Black students in Kentucky.
The school closed in 1967. Lexington purchased and reopened the building for use as a community center in 1978.
“What began as a segregated school became a pillar of strength in the neighborhood. In a place where, despite barriers and inequalities, excellence was cultivated, leaders were shaped and pride was instilled,” 1st District council member Tyler Morton said at the reopening ceremony.
“In a time where division was prevalent, (the community center) built unity. Generations walked these halls carrying both the weight of injustice and the power of possibility, and that legacy still lives within these walls today.”
The renovations totaled roughly $3.5 million — $1.5 million from the city’s general fund and $2 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. While the center remained open during its two phases of construction work, the renovation is now fully complete.
Dunbar Community Center is one of five community centers operated by Lexington’s division of parks and recreation.
