Dawn Baumhover, Nederland. You see it as you’re driving on the Peak to Peak. The solar panels on the roof rise as you climb the hill out of town. What happens there? Sometimes it looks abandoned and other occasions you can’t get a parking spot. This is the Nederland Community Center, owned by the Town of Nederland and home to non-profits, commissary kitchen tenants and many diverse activities, events and meetings. 

Perhaps you have attended one of the many town meetings held in the Community Room or the first-run movies at the Backdoor Theater during the weekends. Maybe you have volunteered or been a beneficiary of the Food Pantry or Clothing Closet, attended the annual 9Health Fair or Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Most of us have come to vote or drop off our ballot at some point over the years. Have you enjoyed the rotating art show brightening the walls or attended the reception opening each show of Art at The Center? It is where others workout or meet their personal trainer or eat lunch. Many children attend after-school activities. Of course, there is the annual Mountain Forum for Peace sale, a giant recycle/re-use fundraiser which takes over the building once a year. 

Most folks know NCC is home base for Nederland Area Seniors bi-weekly luncheons and all Mountain Peak Life dinners, breakfasts and brunches. Everyone is welcome at these warm social gatherings of affordable and tasty meals. The kitchen is licensed by Boulder County and is also used as a commissary.

Did you know there is a complete workout facility housed within the Community Center? The Fitness Place was an afterthought in the remodel, so it is spread out over several areas. The weight room, located off the main lower lobby, includes a full circuit of resistance machines, free weights and a plated circuit. 

The court and studio are located on the middle level of the building. Drop-in basketball and pickleball are popular activities in the gymnasium and the studio hosts a variety of dance and fitness classes for both adults and children. Cardio equipment is located on the balcony overlooking the gym. Use of the Fitness Place is by drop-in fee, membership or punch card. Call (303) 258-9721 for more information.

Some may be surprised to learn the gardens at the Community Center are not community gardens but are maintained exclusively by the Nederland Food Pantry for the clientele! The Pantry is part of a local area collaborative consisting of Emergency Family Assistance, Foothills United Way, Boulder County and the Peak to Peak Human Services Alliance serving western Boulder County. The Community Center is grateful to have this human services support organization as an active tenant of the building.

NCC is also a designated Red Cross Shelter and will open to serve evacuees when needed. Indian Peaks Radio Club is housed in the facility and is equipped to support emergency operations with ham radios in the event of an emergency.  The shelter team has set up a resource room where supplies are stored to support Peak to Peak residents in time of emergencies. 

The Backdoor Theater is a truly Nederland experience. Not many community centers can say they have a movie theater. This anchor tenant is a non-profit and has been showing first-run movies since 2000. Reasonable prices for tickets and concessions make this the perfect local family activity or date night depending on the offering.

To find out what is happening at this crossroad of activity called the Community Center, go to nederlandcommunitycenter.org and click on calendar. Then click on the specific listing of interest for more detail. Find your point of interest, then come enjoy this common collaborative community space! 

(Originally published in the May 9, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)