Cherokee Nation Opens Kenwood Community Center

The Cherokee Nation opened the $21 million Woody Hair Community Center in Kenwood, adding to tribal investment in the tiny community.

Though Kenwood is small, Cherokee Nation says 16,000 citizens live within 15 miles, making it the perfect spot for the 33,000-square-foot community center.

“The people who live in Kenwood care about this community, and they want it to move forward,” said Chief Chuck Hoskin, in a 14-minute speech that was interrupted by applause from approximately 200 people in attendance.

“We're going to become happier and healthier people. This was needed here. And we deserve this” said Dawni Squirrell, from the One Fire Community Association that will run the center.

Cherokee Nation is also moving the local HeadStart program for 28 children to the center, which includes a workout facility and nutrition center for senior adults. Besides a basketball gym, the center has outdoor courts, and ballfields.

“They’ve got work, they got family, they've got church, and then hopefully they can come here, and this can be a hub to enjoy and get healthy on top of that,” said Aaron Edwards, who directs the Cherokee Nation Wellness Center in Tahlequah.

Cherokee Nation also recently opened a similar center in Marble City.

“For generations, there was no investment in Kenwood,” said Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., “and we cannot expect a community to be able to sustain itself if there's not a level of commitment on behalf of the nation, and that's what this represents.”

The center in Kenwood is named for the late Woody Hair, a local legend, known for family and community gatherings where he cooked and entertained. Several of his relatives attended the ribbon cutting.

Kenwood is home to several fluent Cherokee speakers, and several will be teaching the language to adults at the center.

The Center is the latest addition in Kenwood, but the Cherokee Nation built a cell phone tower there last year and as part of the community center developed, improved internet access and water service.