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Also known as community halls, community centers are public spaces where the community often gathers to do many activities. There are different types of community centers. There are those that are open for any member of the community, but there are those that are reserved for a specific group. For instance, there can be a community center for political discussions, or those that talk about religion.
Origin of Community Centers
The existence of community centers dates back to ancient history. In Greece, community centers were used to hold political discussions before civilization. There are centers whose history dates back to the 1800s. In some cases, the community centers were buildings that were no longer being used.
There were some that were held in schools, especially when there were social issues to be addressed. Community centers gained popularity during uprisings or political campaigns when members of the community needed to come together to discuss some of the issues that were affecting the community. In most countries, they were opened for the whole day and people would schedule meetings.
Ownership of Community Centers
Every country has unique models on who owns their community centers. There are some countries that have several community centers that have different owners. There are some community centers that are solely the initiative of community where the community members fund the construction of the center and manage the operations. There are also some community centers that are owned by the government while others are set up by different organizations such as religious institutions or non-governmental organizations. What stands out about community centers is the fact that they focus on developing the community and they dedicate a big part of their operations to community projects.
In some communities, such centers exist due to the philanthropy of individual sponsors who fund the construction and operation of community centers.