A Night to Remember: Clarkston Community Center Celebrates 100 Years
On November 8, something truly special happened at the Clarkston Community Center. As everyone walked through the doors, it felt like stepping into a story that has been growing for a whole century.
Guests from many cultures and backgrounds arrived dressed in their best, walking proudly across a red carpet. It wasn’t just a celebration, it felt like a moment in history.
A Walk Through 100 Years
Inside the East Room, the timeline exhibition told the building’s story from the very beginning. In 1924, the building opened as a segregated high school. Over the years, it was abandoned and nearly forgotten. But the community refused to let it disappear. With love, effort, and a $2.4 million renovation, the old school was reborn as the lively community center we know today.
The room was filled with memories: black-and-white photos, yearbooks, handwritten notes, and even a scrapbook from a Clarkston High School girl who graduated in the 1960s. Every item reminded us that real people, students, teachers, families, shaped this place long before us.
In the next room, students from Kennesaw State University built a physical model of the Center. It showed every corner, every hallway, and sparked ideas about what the Center has been, and what it could become. People stood around it giving feedback, pointing out ideas, and imagining the future together.
A Night of Celebration
When the doors to Agora Hall opened, the celebration truly began.
Warm cello music filled the air as guests took their seats for a global dinner. People from dozens of countries sat side by side, sharing food, stories, and laughter, a perfect picture of the diversity that makes Clarkston special.
Then came the flamenco dancers. Their powerful movements, music, and energy filled the room, turning the night into a joyful celebration of art and culture.
A Vision for the Next 100 Years
One of the night’s highlights was the presentation of the Future Master Plan by Pegah Zamani and Ave Yaseen. They shared a bold vision for the Clarkston Community Center’s next century, a place built for everyone, shaped by everyone:
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Welcoming Spaces: A bright, open lobby and flexible classrooms for learning, collaboration, and community gatherings.
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Outdoor Activation: Reimagined fields, gardens, play areas, and gathering spaces for connection, recreation, and wellness.
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Arts and Culture: Performance halls, studios, and exhibition areas to celebrate Clarkston’s diversity and creativity.
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Accessibility & Sustainability: ADA-compliant upgrades, energy-efficient systems, and eco-friendly design.
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Economic & Community Growth: Spaces for job training, entrepreneurship, and small business support.
This plan is designed with the community, for the community, ensuring that the Clarkston Community Center continues to be a place where everyone belongs, learns, and thrives.
Stand With Us: Shape the Next Century of the Clarkston Community Center
The Clarkston Community Center Master Plan is more than a vision, it is a call to action for the whole community. To make this dream a reality, we need your support in every form:
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Share your expertise: Architects, designers, planners, and creative minds can help shape the spaces of the future.
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Contribute your time: Participate in planning, community discussions, or hands-on projects.
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Provide connections and resources: Help us reach more community members, organizations, and partners.
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Invest financially: Donations will directly support renovation, sustainable upgrades, and programs that benefit every resident.
Together, we can transform this building for the next 100 years, making it a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable hub for generations to come.
The story of the Clarkston Community Center is not done.
It is just beginning, and we need you to stand with us.
