New Mosswood Recreation Center opens in Oakland nearly a decade after fire

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Mosswood Recreation Center welcomed community members back to its grounds Saturday morning, celebrating a grand opening nearly 10 years after a devastating fire leveled the previous structure.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee joined local leaders and residents to mark the occasion. The original center was destroyed in 2016, leading to a seven-year design and reconstruction process fueled by what Lee described as the "resilience of people here in our town."

"It’s the spirit of partnership and determination," Lee said during the celebration.

The history of Mosswood Park stretches back to the early 1900s, with a previous recreation center built on the site in 1953. For many long-term residents, the reopening was a nostalgic milestone. 

Aileen Moffitt, a retired Oakland teacher who played at the park as a child, shared family videos of a May Day celebration held at the site in 1954 with KTVU. 

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However, the center’s history also reflects the complex social shifts of the era. The 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling ushered in an era of civil rights tensions that were felt even in Oakland. As some families moved to the suburbs, the area around the park—known as "the flatlands"—became predominately Black and Latino.

Cassie "Mama C" Lopez, the chair of the advisory board for Mosswood, noted that the journey to rebuild has been long, but the result is a testament to the community's persistence.

"We were the flatlands... and we were discriminated against terribly," Lopez said. "It’s been a long journey, but it materialized into this after the center burned down."

The redesigned center and adjacent park are intended to serve as a space for both Oakland’s youth and the broader community. Architects and residents alike expressed hope that the new facility will remain a permanent fixture for future generations.

"I can see myself bringing my own child to the space," said Dominique Elie, an architect on the project. "I think my relationship with the building will continue beyond the design process, which I think is pretty unique and pretty special."