In a city that has developed over the past 20 years, one thing has remained constant for the Newhall community.
Some would say it has served as a lifeline, a gathering place for education and recreation, and helped at-risk youth have the opportunity to lead safe and productive lives.
Others would say it’s a place where people created a family of their own, forming connections through a common hobby such as martial arts, or dance.
On Saturday, members of the community, including local dignitaries, gathered at the basketball court and outdoor open space to celebrate the Newhall Community Center’s 20th anniversary.
As children performed live music, parents danced to mariachi, and elders enjoyed a fresh plate of street-style tacos; it wasn’t just a birthday celebration. It was a reunion and a trip down memory lane for what was once a one-room converted warehouse in Old Town Newhall to a now 17,000-square-foot recreational facility on Market Street.
Following the Northridge Earthquake in 1994, many apartment complexes in the Newhall area were unhabitable. The youth began to get into trouble, breaking into vacant homes and spending a lot of time on the streets, Canyon Country resident Aurelia Luna Espinoza said in Spanish. She was a Newhall resident at the time.
Things escalated between the youth and law enforcement, and parents of the community began to advocate for a community center in hopes to get children off the streets and into more productive activities, she added.
To address the growing concerns, a warehouse was rented to provide some programming for the youth on what used to be San Fernando Road, now known as Newhall Avenue. But the need quickly grew.
“We only had boxing, and I kept asking for English language classes so parents of children could come,” Luna Espinoza said. “But it was such a small space. When you entered you had the boxing space on one side, and the office on the other.”
As she became a voice among the local Latino population, Luna Espinoza and other parents pushed for a community center that would benefit people of all ages at an affordable cost, she said. Following numerous City Council meetings, what they were asking for became a reality.
The new and improved Newhall Community Center opened on Jan. 21, 2006, with a dance room, kitchen, outdoor stage, playground area, classrooms, and much more. Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste at the time advocated for the center.
Weste said hundreds of thousands have benefited from the programs throughout the years, which now include ballet folklorico, sports, wellness activities, bingo nights and special annual events like the Thanksgiving Community Dinner and Halloween Fiesta and Haunted House.
Two decades ago, Weste was confident it was going to serve many people, she said.
“Newhall was declining very badly and this was part of the way to give a validation to the community, for them and for their children, so the future was going to keep getting better, not the other way,” Weste said as mariachi music blared in the background. One woman approached to thank and hug her for her advocacy.
“It’s a success story,” Weste added. “I can’t believe it’s been 20 years.”
“It was a huge change. The youth had the opportunity to come and play, do boxing, other activities. That’s why I always say to create programs that will benefit the youth and that are accessible,” Luna Espinoza said.
One of those youth was Nidia Alcantar, who was invited to be a key speaker to share her story on how the center helped shape her into the person she is today.
“I walked through these doors looking for something positive and meaningful to do with my time. I was very young. I wanted something that would help me stay focused, grounded and motivated, and that’s exactly what I found here,” Alcantar said.
She joined the boxing and mixed martial arts program and learned discipline, resilience and accountability.
“It gave me really good structure during the time I needed it most,” she said.
The center is more than just a building — it’s a place where children gain confidence and shape their future for a better tomorrow, including hers, Alcantar said. She is now a school resource deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“Here’s to the next 20 years of changing lives,” she said, thanking staff and volunteers, many of whom still work at the center today.
As the celebration continued, attendees were encouraged to visit the multipurpose room, where memories stretched across the walls, offering a glimpse into hundreds of different lives. Framed articles, photographs and awards filled the space, creating a living timeline of the community’s history.
Yolanda Ledezma, community services supervisor for the city, embraced a woman she hadn’t seen in a very long time.
The woman was a parent and her son participated in the center’s programming many years ago, Ledezma said. Throughout the event, she greeted former staff, parents, and former students who now have children and grandchildren of their own.
Ledezma, who worked at the Community Center since 1995, has spent most of her career leading coordinators and other personnel. She left for about seven years in between, but what brought her back “was the love for the community,” she said.
“This is what fills my heart.”
Before heading off to greet another familiar face, Ledezma shared her hopes for the future: That the facility continues to grow and “more leaders come out of the Newhall Community Center.”
