Update (10/15/2025)

On Tuesday, October 14th, Group 4 Architecture shared an updated presentation to the Belmont City Council. You can watch the meeting here and view the presentation here. 

Update (9/5/2025)

On Wednesday, September 3rd, Group 4 Architecture shared an updated presentation to the Parks and Recreation Commission. You can watch the meeting here and view the presentation here.

Update (7/21/2025)

To update the Community Center design to align with our community’s current and future needs, the City has re-engaged Group 4 Architecture in a design refresh. Group 4 presented their refreshed master plan to the Parks and Recreation Commission on July 16th. You can watch the meeting here and view the presentation here. 

Update (6/13/2025)

From the many “Your Voice, Your Belmont” survey responses and through multiple outreach events this spring, the City has received important feedback about the community’s vision for the future of the Barrett Community Center site. This survey complements the outreach conducted in 2024 and reaffirms the need for a facility that serves all ages, is safe and accessible for all, and provides relief and resources during an emergency.

To continue advancing the vision for a new community center, the City has re-engaged Group 4 Architects to assist in updating the conceptual design developed in 2019. This update will provide further programming and design refinements to address and optimize community feedback, construction costs, and funding opportunities.

Financing a project of this magnitude requires support from multiple sources. The City will continue to explore potential grant funding opportunities for emergency infrastructure, sustainable construction, and community building. Belmont’s commercial and housing development projects may also deliver support to this effort. Finally, the Belmont community is a critical component of the solution. The Belmont Community Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization, has been established by dedicated Belmont residents to raise awareness of this project and solicit donations.  

On August 9, the Belmont Community Foundation is hosting a Festival at Barrett Community Center to bring friends and families to the site to enjoy a day of fun for all ages! Enjoy an inflatable slide, pickleball, food trucks, an arts and crafts fair, community booths, and much more!  We’ll also be hosting tours of the Barrett facility, and Group 4 Architects will give an update on the design for a new facility. All activities are free, but food, beverage, and arts and crafts are available for purchase. 

Want to help on August 9 or get involved in making this vision a reality? Sign up HERE.

Update (2/12/2025)

Thank you to all of the residents and community members who have provided feedback through our open houses, community presentations, and survey to-date. The survey period has closed, and we have posted key results below. We look forward to sharing more updates soon! Please check back for the latest or sign up here to receive email alerts.

A Community Resource in Need

As many of you are aware, our beloved 75-year-old Barrett Community Center, which has been the heart of our community for generations, is in dire need. The Center has been heavily used over the years, providing a space for gatherings, events, and activities that have brought us together as a community.

Given its age, the Center requires extensive repairs and maintenance to meet modern-day earthquake, fire safety, and accessibility standards. Without these repairs, the City and community may not be able to use the facility in the near future.

With the help of residents, we have launched The Community Center Conversation, a community-wide conversation online and in-person, to identify community priorities for the future of Belmont’s Community Center.

As demonstrated in survey responses to-date, everyone agrees: the Center should have the capability to serve as an emergency relief shelter. Currently, it does not have the infrastructure or capacity to be utilized for emergency relief. Should the City consider utilizing the Center as an emergency relief center, the City can seek matching funds from the State or County.

Belmont is committed to ensuring the Center and its vital programs are accessible for all residents for generations to come. As we continue to look forward and prepare for the future, we strive to have every part of our community do its part to maintain the important services the community relies on. While we have this important community conversation, the City will also be exploring the use of developer contributions from new construction in the City and infrastructure grant opportunities to leverage funding for future Center needs and upgrades.

Your Feedback is Essential

Feedback from residents and community members is essential to the future of our community center and the services and activities it provides. For upcoming presentations, please visit the calendar below.

 To-date, we've presented the Community Center Conversation at over a dozen meetings and events and hosted a community survey with 253 responses. Key results are displayed below.

Survey Results: Most Valued in Our Current Center

Survey Results: Most Desired in Our Future Center

Upcoming Meetings

Additional Resources and Information