The Santa Clarita City Council celebrated the Canyon Country Community Center groundbreaking Friday, which is set to open in 2021.

City officials gathered near the northeast corner of Sierra Highway and Soledad Canyon Road Friday to break ground for the new community center.

State Senator Scott Wilk, Assemblymember Christy Smith, Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean, Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Smyth, and Councilmember Laurene Weste were all present to get the project underway.

“This (community center) is really a wonderful milestone for Canyon Country. It’s something we’ve been wanting to do as a city for quite some time,” said McLean.

The new community center is set to offer a gymnasium, computer technology, arts and crafts, community and fitness rooms, an open turf play area, flexible outdoor spaces for events, playground, walkway, landscaping and a demonstration kitchen to be used for teaching, according to officials.

Santa Clarita residents of all ages are expected to take advantage of the community center since a variety of programs are set to be offered. Teenagers will also be encouraged to use the space for schoolwork, studying, and tutoring, according to officials.

“Having this community center here is going to have such a positive impact for the city as a whole, but specifically Canyon Country,” said Smyth.

Phase One of the construction is set to begin in early April when the site will be rough graded and the Mint Canyon Channel will be improved.

A box channel is set to be created on the site, which is intended to enclose the majority of the existing channel and allow for landscaping and a trail to be put on top of it to enhance beauty and increase usable space, according to officials.

Storm drain improvements and the installation of an infiltration system is set to have a positive environmental impact on the area by reducing water pollution.

The new Canyon Country Community Center is scheduled to open early 2021 and will be replacing the temporary center on Flying Tiger Drive.

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