Historic Buffalo Community Center Reaches Key Milestone

One of the things that you learn pretty quickly when you live in Western New York is that Buffalo is truly the City of Good Neighbors. You can see it every day all around the 716. From the parks and malls to the neighborhoods and community centers.

There is one community center in Buffalo that is celebrating a major milestone in 2026, and it means a lot to generations of people who have called Buffalo's Westside home.

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Founded in 1976 and named for Father Vincent L. Belle, the Belle Center is a community center located on Maryland Street on Buffalo's West Side that has served people for decades. Generations of Buffalonians have passed through the doors at 104 Maryland Street looking for a safe place to hang out, somewhere to work on homework, get help with several types of social issues, and tons of other resources.

While recent years have seen community centers all over Western New York shut their doors or fall into serious disrepair, The Belle Center is still there serving people just like it's done for the last 50 years.

The Belle Center, what a staple in our community... Over 50 years that we've been hanging strong, providing services to our community, whether it's an infant coming into our childcare or senior citizens, we've been here providing all types of services for our community. A lot of fun stuff. We in fact call it our 56,000 square feet of fun. So yep, we're all about a good time, but we're also about learning and sharing and giving to our giving back to our community.
-Lucy Candelario, Executive Director Of The Belle Center

In a community environment where people are looking for places to go and things to do, community centers like the Belle Center and others are key to making sure Buffalo remains the City of Good Neighbors.

Did you go to the Belle Center at all of the last 50 years, if so what are some of your favorite memories?