About
Oakland Community Center is the Town of Oakland's community building at 14 North 8th Street, housed in the town's former National Guard armory. It offers a gym and a conference room you can rent, indoor walking and community pickleball, and it is one of Garrett County's two early voting centers.
From Armory to Community Center
The building was built in 1954 as the BG Otho Holland Williams Maryland National Guard Armory and was home to the Maryland National Guard's 121st Engineers Battalion, Company C, until it was decommissioned in 2005. It was added to the Maryland Historical Trust registry in 2004. Today it also houses a Garrett College outreach center and other offices alongside its public spaces.
What You Can Do Here
- Rent the gym or the conference room for meetings, parties and other occasions; Town Hall takes reservations by phone, and the spaces can also be booked online through the town's website
- Walk indoors in the gym with a monthly walking pass bought at Town Hall, which is handy when winter weather makes outdoor walking hard
- Play community pickleball, open to all ages and skill levels including beginners, with rackets and balls provided
- Vote early during Garrett County elections, when the center serves as an early voting center
Food and drink aren't allowed in the gym, so keep that in mind when planning an event.
Plans for the Future
The town is running a capital campaign to renovate and expand the center. Plans designed by Noelker and Hull Associates include a renovated kitchen and conference room, three multi-sport courts and new restrooms. The Garrett County Commissioners and a Congressional Community Funding Project have committed part of the cost, and the town is raising the rest through tax-deductible contributions.
Call Town Hall to ask about rentals, walking passes or pickleball before you head over.
Address
14 N 8th St, Oakland, MD 21550