What is this project?
The Yvonne Richardson Community Center, located on Rock Street in southeast Fayetteville, is going to be upgraded and expanded. The center, named after the former University of Arkansas Men’s Basketball Coach Nolan Richardson’s daughter Yvonne, was built in 1996 to provide programming for under-served families. It is staffed, operated, and maintained by Fayetteville Parks, Natural Resources, and Cultural Affairs department.
Why is it important?
The Yvonne Richardson Community Center is committed to shaping today's youth for tomorrow's challenges by providing recreational, educational, and social opportunities. After 26 years of operating in the existing space, improvements and enhancements are needed in order to continue to further reach and serve the community and carry out the mission of the center.
How is it funded?
The YRCC Expansion Project was approved as a 2019 Bond Funded Project. Approximately $1.3 million in bond funds will go toward the expansion. In addition, the City applied for and received a matching grant from the Walton Family Foundation. In total, approximately $2.6 million will be invested in the expansion. Fundraising will continue during the construction phase in order to fully build out the second level addition and maximize purchasing of major equipment for the expanded spaces.
Proposed Timeline
- Public surveying, both online and door to door, took place in the fall of 2021.
- Community engagement meetings were held in the spring and summer of 2022.
- Results from the public input process were combined to determine how the Yvonne Richardson Community Center could better serve its patrons.
- Final expansion scope was determined based on the public input and renderings of the space, including program space and floor plans were completed in the summer of 2022.
- A matching grant was received in August of 2022, giving a total of $2.6 million for the expansion.