When a city dump was transformed into an 11- acre park and recreational center, the community of Owensboro gained a safe haven for its youth, and a committed investment for future generations. Dugan Best Recreational Center recently celebrated 50 years of transforming lives and providing hope.
Michael Gray, Recreation Center Director, said the Center’s recent 50th anniversary celebration had a “great turnout,” and featured music, food, and raffle prizes.
“We pulled all our resources together for a great celebration,” said Gray. “We hosted vendors and gave out hot dogs and hamburgers to the community. Some of our prizes included bicycles, basketball goals and basketballs. It was a fun and successful event.”
Former Owensboro Mayor Dugan Best had a vision for a piece of land that was being used as a city dump and authorized its renovation in 1966. In 1973, Dugan Best Recreation Center was built to serve West end residents and provide an indoor recreational facility.
Mayor Best died in office in 1967, and Michael Gray lamented the fact that the mayor didn’t live long enough to see his vision realized.
“I am here to see his dream lived,” said Gray. “Because of the vision of Dugan Best, a junk yard was turned into a safe place for kids to grow and now it’s been going strong for 50 years.”
“We are extended family to the kids we serve,” Gray added. “They come to us after school for tutoring, sports programs, and encouragement. We try to give them a solid foundation.”
The center hosts various events throughout the school year, offering a positive gathering place for young people.
“We kick off each school year with the Dugan Best yard sale,” said Gray. “We host a Trunk or Treat in October, a canned food drive in November, and a Candy Cane hunt in December.”
This past April, the center sponsored its first-annual “Dugan’s Got Talent” competition, featuring singing, dancing, comedy, art and magic; the grand prize was a $4,000 scholarship. The annual Back to School Bash offers games, inflatables, free school supplies, free food, and free haircuts.
With a gym, stage, kitchen, game room, teen room, fitness room, and computer stations, the recreation center has a lot to offer. For many “graduates” of Dugan Best, the rec center was the safest place they knew growing up, and its impact has been life-changing.
The center’s Breaking the Cycle campaign empowers youth ages 9 to 17 to break the cycle of poverty, gun violence, and the stigma of mental health issues, and also provides them the firm foundations they need to enter the workforce upon graduation or pursue higher education.
Looking to the future, Gray is positive that the center will continue to impact young lives.
“As far as the facility goes, we are working to revitalize equipment that has been here since the 1970s,” Gray remarked. “We are getting new equipment in the weight room and looking into having a mural done for the building’s front. We want to commemorate 50 years of memories.”
Listening to feedback from the families they serve has always been a catalyst for growth for Dugan Best.
“Families tell us what they need, and we try to respond accordingly,” said Gray. “We want to tailor our programs to best meet the needs of our families as we look forward to the next 50 years.” OL
