For over 25 years, community members advocated for a community center to serve the unmet needs of the area surrounding the Van Bokkelen Elementary School in the Severn community. Since 2006, stakeholders met monthly in an effort to move the project forward. Their perseverance was successful in capturing the attention and commitment of the elected officials to develop a project to meet the needs in the community and under the leadership of the Pittman Administration, support from our state delegation and the County Council, the project became a reality in May 2023.
The County, through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and Local Development Council Video Lottery Terminal funds, committed over $12.3 million dollars to the project. State legislators, through legislative capital grants, provided $3 million and an $800,000 grant was awarded by the Maryland Department of Aging helping to make the development of a multi-purpose facility at the Van Bokkelen Elementary School site a reality.
Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. (ACDS), the County’s nonprofit housing and community development agency, was selected as the developer for the project.
In addition to its expertise in public financing, predevelopment and construction management, ACDS brought a keen focus on community engagement and participation in the design and development process. In collaboration with the Severn Community Partnership’s stakeholder groups, Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities, Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, community artists and leaders, ACDS coordinated over nine outreach engagements, focus groups, community charrettes and a town hall to gather stakeholder and
community input.
Specifically, (1) a state of the art Boys & Girls Club which includes a full size gymnasium and Teen Club to serve the many children and youth in the community; (2) a regional Senior Activity Center providing a wide array of educational programs, recreational activities, health screenings, and classes in art, crafts, computer use, dance and many other topics for the older adults in the Severn area; and (3) flexible community space to be used for meetings and programming for all ages. The exterior space is designed to be open to the community with a welcoming and clearly defined accessible path with seating, plantings, and outdoor public art and flexible performance space. There are opportunities for community programming to serve a wide range of ages as well, through partnerships with other County service providers, such as the Department of Recreation and Parks, Workforce Development and the Health Department. There are also opportunities for future outdoor amenities, including community gardens and intergenerational exercise stations.