The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Santa Maria Japanese Community Center, 11 a.m.-noon Monday, June 8 at 1855 S. Bradley Road.

The ceremony will include remarks from city officials and representatives of the Japanese community. Cultural dance and musical performances, refreshments, and guided tours of the facility will be offered.

Attendees are invited to attend and explore the new community space and surrounding park grounds.

The Cultural Center spans more than 10,000 square feet and includes a lobby, multi-use area, historical displays, restrooms, kitchen, and storage and custodial space.

The center is designed in the style of a barn as a tribute to the early Japanese agricultural pioneers who settled in Santa Maria and helped establish the region’s agricultural economy.

“The center also recognizes the contributions of the Issei and Nisei generations, whose perseverance, community leadership, and agricultural achievements helped shape the Santa Maria Valley,” organizers said.

“Despite discrimination and the hardships of World War II incarceration, Japanese American families in the Santa Maria Valley continue to be an important part of the community’s history and cultural identity,” they said.

The new community center will provide city residents with a gathering space for cultural events, community programs, and facility reservations. Event attendees are asked to park along Shepard Drive.

Direct questions to the Recreation and Parks Department office, 805-925-0951 ext. 2260.