Contact Information:

Meg Matthews

Public Relations Manager

mmatthews@littlerock.gov

(501) 804-4822

Media Advisory

What: Grand Opening of Centre at University Park

When: Saturday, September 28th – 11:00 a.m.

Where: Adult Leisure Lane

A new day for an important public facility begins on Saturday. The Centre at University Park will have its official grand opening beginning at 11:00 a.m. The building is west of University Avenue off of 12^th Street.

Vice Mayor Doris Wright will be joined by City Manager Bruce Moore, Parks and Recreation Director Truman Tolefree and world famous Harlem Globetrotter “Geese” Ausbie to officially open this new state of the art structure.

The facility on 12th Street was completed in 1992 and was originally called The Seniors Center. It was built for just under $1 million and was comprised of 14,662 square feet of passive spaces, including  a conference room, class room, small library area, card and television room, arts and crafts room, ceramic space and kiln, game room, office space, lobby area and ball room with a full service kitchen.

Today, we have a facility that is comprised of 15,000 square feet of single level steel structural-framed building that includes:

• webinar room
• art and crafts room
• ceramics and kiln area
• game room
• class room
• aerobics and dance room with hardwood floors
• conference room
• catering room
• office space
• Ball room with audio/visual teleconferencing access.

There are thermal glazed tin ted windows, fully accessible (ADA) circulation and access throughout the building and site. Additionally, the Centre has illuminated on-site parking lot including ADA parking slots.

A guided tour of the new public building will be available. Also, Mr. Ausbie has agreed to create an exhibit of his well known career with the Harlem Globe Trotters – from his beginnings to his now regular use of to the Centre at University Park to show on this opening day.  

Hubert “Geese” Ausbie joined the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team in 1961 following a standout college career at Philander Smith College in Little Rock (Pulaski County). For the next twenty-four years, Ausbie played for the Globetrotters in more than 100 countries and became known as the "Clown Prince of Basketball” for his entertaining antics on the basketball court.