Newsletter · May 2026
BCC In Motion!
Photos by Flynn Larsen
Dear Friends and Fans —
It’s begun: The official push for a new, centralized community center in Beacon is on!
Many of you met up last January to talk about the collective dream of having more public space to connect in our amazing little city. The strong turnout and the enthusiasm expressed since have really underscored that this is an idea whose time is HERE.
A starter group took everyone’s ideas to form a legal nonprofit: Beacon Community Collective. We began with research at the excellent Beacon Historical Society about what Beacon has offered in the past and currently offers for recreation — which is plenty! Our dream is an easily accessible home for everything the City now offers and more, with space to gather, play, work out, and most of all, to connect with each other.
We Met With City Officials
In March, we met with Mayor Lee Kyriacou, City Administrator Chris White, Deputy City Administrator Ben Swanson, and Recreation Director Mark Price. They’ve kept a placeholder for a community center in the city budget for years, and in 2023, they invested in a survey about residents’ needs. They were as aware as we were of two key numbers it surfaced: 70% of respondents believe a new or expanded community center is needed, and 57% believe it should be in a centralized location.
Even with all that background, we couldn’t have hoped for a warmer reception. We were invited back this spring to present more about how other communities have gone about partnering on a community center. We were so encouraged by city leaders’ degree of openness and encouragement, and we look forward to developing a strong and productive working relationship.
Your Call To Action
In a time when very few institutions bring people of different backgrounds and ages together, a community center can serve that unique role. We’re looking for further support and skills, including development and project management. If you’re energized by the idea of giving Beacon a public, communal gathering space, reach out and let us know if you’d like to get involved. You might just find collective energy flowing back to you! In the meantime, click the button below to learn more about BCC from our website.
