Background: This July, we mark a significant milestone for Reston: the 20th anniversary of the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate.
Since its doors first opened on July 10, 2006, the center has been a vital part of our community. As a truly intergenerational neighborhood hub, it provides children, teens, and older adults with a wealth of diverse programs. Serving approximately 20,000 people who visit each year, the center offers essential after-school programs and summer camps, senior health and wellness initiatives, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and a wide array of recreational and cultural events provided by the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services.
While this anniversary is a moment of great joy, it is also a bittersweet one. The center stands as one of the most enduring legacies of former Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins. We sadly lost this pioneering public servant this past May, and it was her tireless advocacy that spearheaded the effort to build this center. Cathy personally negotiated the land lease which was signed by the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority, secured the necessary funding, reviewed the building’s design, and articulated a clear vision for its programming.
Her leadership revived and transformed a privately owned community room and swimming pool — which had sat vacant and unused for nine years — into a vibrant public gathering place for engagement, education, and recreation. This anniversary is a moment to honor not just the building, but also Cathy’s lasting contribution to the fabric of our community.
As the Board recalls, the center was renamed in Cathy's honor in 2021, following a motion I was proud to bring forward. We held a ceremony to officially rename the center that year, and I am deeply grateful that Cathy was able to participate in that well-deserved recognition and see how much her work meant to Reston.
In commemoration of this 20th anniversary, the center will host a community celebration on August 15, and I invite everyone to join us for this momentous occasion.
Motion: Therefore, Mr. Chairman, without objection, I ask that the Office of Public Affairs prepare a resolution — to be presented outside of the Board room on August 15 — to honor the Cathy Hudgins Community Center on its 20th anniversary.