Renovated Chinese rec center reopening S.F. NEIGHBORHOODS Vital recreation center reopening as tribute to woman killed on 9/11

Blown glass characters in venetian handmade glass suspended in poems by Bai Juyi (772-846)and Su Shi (1036-1101) as well as by installation artist Shan Shan Sheng at the newly constructed Chinese Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, July 12, 2012. less Blown glass characters in venetian handmade glass suspended in poems by Bai Juyi (772-846)and Su Shi (1036-1101) as well as by installation artist Shan Shan Sheng at the newly constructed Chinese Center in San ... more Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Renovated Chinese rec center reopening 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

The Chinese Recreation Center, known for years as Chinatown's unofficial backyard, will reopen Saturday with a new name and a sparkling $21 million building, but the same commitment to providing a spot for sport, play and relaxation in one of the nation's most densely populated communities.

The center "is at the heart of the Chinatown community, and its rebuild brings a state-of-the-art facility into one of our oldest and most historic neighborhoods," said Mayor Ed Lee, who as a young lawyer used to play basketball at the center.

The mayor will be at Mason and Washington streets at 12:15 Saturday afternoon for the grand opening of the center, which will be named for San Francisco native Betty Ann Ong, a 45-year-old American Airlines flight attendant who died aboard one of the jets that slammed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Ong, using an air phone, was the first person to alert authorities to the terrorist attacks.

For Ong, her sisters and brother, as well as for generations of other Chinatown residents, the rec center was the play space their tightly packed homes and apartments didn't have. It was the hub of the community, not only for basketball and other sports but also for all the other activities of a busy, growing San Francisco neighborhood.

Updates urgently needed

Now her name, written in both English and Chinese characters, graces the colorful facade of the new building.

"There are some 600 families living in tiny (single-room occupancy) apartments in Chinatown," said the Rev. Norman Fong, who as a boy had his Cub Scout meetings at the center. "The children there have no other place to go.

"Space is a gift from God in our community," added Fong, who is executive director of the Chinatown Community Development Center.

But over the years, it became apparent that the aging three-story concrete center, built in 1951, desperately needed to be updated to deal with concerns that weren't even considered in the '50s and '60s.

Focus on natural light

While environmental sustainability, access for the disabled, safety-first play areas and plenty of space for community meetings just weren't priorities 60 years ago, they were major considerations for the rebuilt structure, said Toks Ajike, project manager for the center.

To meet those needs, the old building was demolished 15 months ago, with the new center rising phoenixlike from the ruins. At $21 million, the 24,234-square-foot Chinatown center was the signature project of the $150 million parks bond approved by city voters in 2008.

The dramatic changes can be seen in a glance. Instead of the fortresslike walls of the original center, the new building features three stories of glass at the entrance, with walls of windows opening the building to natural light. Even the full-size gymnasium is designed to let the sun shine in.

"The natural light was central to making the building sustainable," Ajike said.

The center is about more than sports, said Ben Ng, program coordinator for the Tenderloin Housing Clinic.

"This will be a safe space for many people, with after-school activities, senior programs and community meetings," he said.

The outside playground has been completely redone with new climbing structures, slides and other equipment, all set atop a bouncy, rubberized surface.

Outdoor improvements

The playground wall features a simple ceramic mural, "Playthings of the Wind" by local artist Colette Crutcher, which features a girl in traditional Chinese clothes flying a kite.

For the older children, the lighted, outdoor basketball court has been resurfaced and repainted.

While the new Betty Ann Ong center builds on the rich history and tradition of its predecessor, that backstory probably doesn't matter much to the neighborhood kids anxiously waiting to try out everything the new building offers.

"We are incredibly excited to open the center's new doors and celebrate with the community," said Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, who represents Chinatown.