A Trip Down Memory Lane

Chinese Playground and Rec Center celebrate years of service

By Carlie Chiu
Special to AsianWeek

Many familiar faces returned to the site of their childhood days at a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Recreation Center and the 75th anniversary of the Chinese Playground, on Oct. 19 in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

In October 1925, the Chinese Playground — a .51 acre property on three levels located on Sacramento Street — was acquired for just $54,112. The playground was completely renovated once in 1980 and then again in 1998.

The Chinese Playground continues to be an important and very busy location, with many people using the center for recreation, sports and dance groups. It has provided a haven for children in the neighborhood, since open play areas in Chinatown were historically non-existent.

Located on the corner of Mason and Washington, the Chinese Recreation Center still has the same façade it did approximately 50 years ago, but it has evolved with time — catering to different age groups and offering a multitude of activities and programs.

Chinese Recreation Center in the 50s.

Stepping back into the recreation center took people down memory lane. Black and white photographs showing the reigning basketball champions, sports teams, clubs and various center activities lined the rooms.

Robert Won, one of the members of the committee who made the commemoration possible, still recalls his days at the center as a youth. Won grew up just two blocks away. “During the ’50s, there weren’t that many things to do, so the recreational center provided a place for us to go to since we did not have all the technologies they have today,” Won said.

Elaine Tom serves as the current supervisor at the Chinese Recreation Center. Tom used to attend the recreation center when she was younger also.

Raymond Der reminisces back to his past days, when he used to play basketball at the Chinese Recreation Center. Born and raised in San Francisco, Der and his friends used to play as a team and to this day, they still get together to play.

With a lot of history and many memories, both recreational centers have shaped the lives of many individuals who grew up in the neighborhoods of Chinatown.