Firms Donate Services for Health Center

SANTA ANA, Calif. — The design team of McCarthy and Taylor are working in partnership with St Joseph Health Systems and Latino Health Access to donate services for a new half-acre community center and park in one of the poorest area in California.

 

The future 2,500-square-foot Latino Health Access Community Center will cost around $4 million to build and operate and will include both recreational and educational space for free or low-cost health and educational programming provided by LHA and collaborating partners. Various nutrition, exercise, parenting and other health related classes, as well as English as a second language, computer literacy and job development will be offered.

 

Master planned as recreation space for an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 area residents, the park will feature open field play areas, a half-sized basketball court, two playgrounds with age-appropriate equipment, restrooms and security features.

 

Ana Carricchi, director of public policy at LHA, praised the community spirit of the project at the recent groundbreaking and called it a new generation of health and wellness for low-income families in Santa Ana, creating opportunities for community and cultural exchanges.