SALINAS – Today, Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) joined Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig and local leaders to celebrate the procurement of $8.1 million in the state budget for funding to rebuild the Hebbron Community Center in Salinas.
“The pandemic demonstrated just how important community spaces are – they provide opportunities to connect, learn, and play that not only benefit our physical health, but our mental health as well,” said Asm. Rivas. “I am grateful to Mayor Craig and Salinas leaders for their advocacy and collaboration to secure funding for the Hebbron Community Center. Salinas residents will now have a new facility that will be a place of learning and community celebration for years to come. I look forward to continuing efforts like these that revitalize our communities and create opportunities for success.”
“I want to thank Assemblymember Rivas for working with us to get the support needed to build a new Hebbron Community Center here in Salinas. The Hebbron Center is critical in providing programming for residents of all ages. This is the result of the collaborative effort between the City of Salinas and our residents as we implement the Alisal Vibrancy Plan,” said Mayor Craig. The Alisal Vibrancy Plan is an action-oriented and comprehensive strategy for East Salinas to generate the community’s vision for a thriving, safe, and sustainable future.
Serving residents since the 1960s, the Hebbron Community Center was once a community church and then repurposed as a community center in the 1970s. The center has provided many critical programs and services for the community, including after-school recreation and homework assistance programs, a teen lounge, martial arts training, food bank distribution, citizenship classes, a pre-kinder program, and much more. Unfortunately, the Hebbron Community Center closed in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic and critical safety issues such as roof leaks, potential mold, and significant foundation problems. An 18-month community engagement process identified the Hebbron Center improvement project as a top priority in the City of Salinas’ Parks, Rec, & Libraries Master Plan.
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Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) represents California’s 30th Assembly District, which includes all or portions of the cities and towns of Aromas, Big Sur, Chualar, Gilroy, Greenfield, Gonzales, Hollister, King City, Morgan Hill, Salinas, San Martin, San Juan Bautista, Soledad, Spreckels, and Watsonville.