The Florence Park Residents Association was formed in 1949, and work started in 1952 to build a community centre in Cornwallis Road. Many volunteers worked long hours to build the Centre, with members of the Bowls Club building their own club room at the same time. Continuous fundraising (such as summer fetes and bingo drives) contributed to the building fund, and the centre opened in September 1957. The building was basic at first, but has been added to over the years, and now has a hall with parquet flooring, lounge room, kitchen. A bar licence was applied for in 1967, and Florence Park became the first community centre in Oxford to hold its own licensed bar. In 1989 the Community Association split to run the Social Club (bar) under a separate committee, to comply with tax regulations. The bar profits are still handed over to the Community Association once a year, and are a very useful addition to the funds of the Community Association, enabling them to support the general running of the Centre. Many groups have used or been formed at the Centre over the years, and many activities have taken place, including Annual Dinners, Christmas Bazaars and sporting events (often in the grounds of the old Donnington Middle School). The Centre and Social Club has spawned many teams of social activities over the years, including darts (men's and women's teams), Aunt Sally and cribbage. Awards won by these teams are proudly displayed in the Centre. The building is owned by Oxford City Council and is managed by the Florence Park Community Association. Recently, new events have come to the Centre, including well-attended monthly 'Sunday Sessions' - family friendly music afternoons with bands from the local area. Well-attended Open Days have been run to invite local people to come in to the Centre, with a variety of activities and homemade refreshments. Other new activities include yoga, baby Zumba and other activities - many of which were requested by locals in the Florence Park-wide survey recently completed. The Centre is also at the 'centre' of organising activities for Florence Park estate's 80th birthday celebrations!
