City of Fayetteville to host Dec. 17 ribbon-cutting, tours of updated youth and family center
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Yvonne Richardson Community Center will reopen next week after a major expansion, according to a press release from the City of Fayetteville.
City officials said they will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. on Dec. 17 to debut the nearly 3,900-square-foot addition and improvements made to Ralph “Buddy” Hayes Park across the street. Mayor Molly Rawn and YRCC Director Joshua Lainfiesta are scheduled to speak, and guided tours of the updated center will follow.
According to the city, the expansion includes a teaching kitchen, multi-purpose classrooms and a new hardwood gymnasium floor. Construction began in June 2024 as part of an effort to broaden YRCC’s programming for youth and underserved families.
Hayes Park also received upgrades, the press release said, including a stream restoration along Sprout Spring Branch and new seating and gathering areas. The half-acre neighborhood park is named for musician Ralph “Buddy” Hayes, a beloved Fayetteville figure whose jump-blues performances drew local audiences for decades.
The community center was built in 1996 and named in honor of Yvonne Richardson, daughter of former University of Arkansas men’s basketball coach Nolan Richardson. It is operated and maintained by Fayetteville Parks and Recreation.
The city said the expansion was funded through the 2019 Parks Improvement Bond approved by voters, along with a matching grant from the Walton Family Foundation. About $1.3 million in bond funds went toward the project, with more than $2.6 million invested overall in the center’s expansion and park improvements.
Parking will be limited during the Dec. 17 event. The city said spaces will be available at the center, 240 E. Rock St., and at the Squire Jehagen Outreach Center. Overflow parking will be offered at Combs Street Church of Christ, with a shuttle running between the church and YRCC throughout the ceremony.
More information about the expansion is available on the City of Fayetteville’s website.