From a distance, the McNabb Community Centre looks more like a public school than a multi-use facility. Sitting comfortably in a quaint residential area, the rectangular brick building faces Percy Street, a quiet one-way, instead of looking towards the bustling traffic on Bronson and Gladstone avenues.
Painted on the side of the wall, facing Gladstone Avenue, is a mural featuring a hockey net and a basketball hoop – a reflection of one of the many amenities the centre has to offer.
From pottery classes for children to pickleballf or seniors – a sport combination of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton – the centre has been offering services to residents since the 1970s.
The building itself was completed in 1968 and branches off into three parts. The community centre lies smack in the middle. On the left-hand side is an indoor arena, which becomes a skateboarding park in the summer. On the right is the former McNabb Park Public School, now home to the Richard Pfaff program, an alternative secondary school managed by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.
Behind the centre is McNabb Park, the largest park in the city’s core, which features large play structures, a wading pool and an outdoor skating rink in the winter.
Upon entering the main part of the facility, visitors are greeted by a friendly receptionist before making their way to and from the maze of rooms, which includes an assembly hall where local plays are staged. The second level is where the gym complexes are. There, children can also participate in parent and me gymnastics courses as well as tumbling and trampoline lessons.