From the Archives: Old Lansing community centers

The Kingsley Community Center opened in February of 1977 on Kalamazoo Street on Lanisng's west side.

It became the focal point for westside community activities, offering everything from basketball to crafts to social services.

The city had first tried converting an old grocery store into a teen drop-in center, according to a 1977 Lansing State Journal article. 

At the time, the federal War on Poverty was preparing to pour millions of dollars into the local Model Cities program.

Committees and task forces came up with a plan to plow down the homes in two small blocks then use the land for a community center and a park. At the same time, the school district would plow down two more blocks and put in an elementary school.

But Model Cities became a hot political subject, and then it disappeared, merging into a Community Development program with new federal money, millions of dollars.

The Kingsley Center cost $600,000. Buying and clearing the land and building new streets and other infrastructure was another $2 million, most of which came from Model Cities and Community Development funds.

The building was renamed the Richard and Olivia Letts Community Center in 1997 after one of the city's most community-minded couples. The official renaming came a week after Dick Letts' death following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

The Lincoln Community Center was the first drop-in recreation and cultural center for African Americans.

The center was part of a 1930s volunteer effort to provide west Lansing youth with recreation and guidance, inside Lincoln Elementary School at William Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Under the supervision of the city recreation department, the list of activities included Brownie troops, Boy Scout troops, basketball and the Gra-Y Club sponsored by the YMCA.

The center held classes in tap dancing. A group of young people known as the LaDramsa Club, who were interested in studying drama, art and literature, also met there.

Young professional women in the neighborhood held regular meetings there, and several groups held programs that included handcrafts, needlework and similar subjects.

It closed in 1969 when the need for more space led to recreation programs at other schools.

Other community centers in the area included Cristo Rey Community Center, Foster Community Center, Gier Community Center, Bailey Community Center, Hannah Community Center.

Contact Vickki Dozier at (517) 267-1342 or vdozier@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickkiD.