BACKGROUND

The Birth of SPARC: A Community-Driven Vision
SPARC was born out of a recognition of two critical needs in our community: the need for greater inclusion and the need for free, low-barrier access to the City Wide Community Center, providing a space for youth of all backgrounds to gather, connect, and thrive.

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A Call for Inclusion
During a Project STORY community listening session in September 2023, local youth shared their experiences of racism and exclusion, offering valuable ideas for positive change. Their suggestions focused on bringing youth from all backgrounds together through sports and art to foster unity and belonging. Inspired by these insights, a group of community members came together to draft a proposal for a program through Parks and Recreation that was initially called the "CommUNITY Activities Program" and is now called SPARC (Sports, Play, Arts, Recreation & CommUNITY Club).

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Friends of SPARC: Born from Advocacy
This community group, which evolved into "Friends of SPARC," formally united to advocate for the program, working to ensure that SPARC would provide a safe, inclusive space where every child—especially those from historically marginalized communities—could find connection and belonging. 

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Lowering Barriers at the City Wide Community Center
At the time, the City Wide Community Center, located in the Heights—a diverse neighborhood—offered limited free access to its facilities. While the center served important functions, it wasn’t fully meeting the needs of local youth, in part because the City understandably prioritized recouping the costs of building the center. SPARC was created to help fill this gap by offering a free, warm, and welcoming space where youth can connect, create, and play during the winter months.

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Year One: A Volunteer-Led Pilot Program
Friends of SPARC volunteers, in collaboration with Parks and Recreation, launched the volunteer-run pilot program in February 2024. Serving an average of 22 youth per session, the program quickly became a vibrant community hub for relationship-building, creativity, and a sense of belonging.  The pilot was funded by a grant through the City of Concord Community Events Fund.

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Year Two: Fully Funded, Staffed, and Expanding
In year two, thanks to support from City Council, SPARC grew into a fully funded program staffed by 6 dedicated employees through Parks and Recreation. With the capacity to serve up to 60 youth per session, year two kicked off on January 4th and 5th, 2025 and participation doubled. 

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Year Three: Penacook expansion!

Friends of SPARC is very hopeful that the program will return next year. We're especially excited about a potential expansion to the Penacook Community Center, increasing access for even more families.

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The Evolution of Friends of SPARC: From Volunteers to Stewards
While SPARC relied on Friends of SPARC volunteers during its first year, it now thrives in the capable hands of Parks and Recreation staff. Although Friends of SPARC no longer handles day-to-day operations, we remain dedicated to supporting the program and ensuring it stays true to its mission of inclusion and lowering barriers to participation.

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Building Inclusion into Concord’s DNA
As we work to make SPARC an integral part of the city's offerings, we are proud to see Concord’s values reflected in every activity. We’re excited to see SPARC grow into a cornerstone of Concord’s dedication to empowering youth and fostering an inclusive community for generations to come.