Erwin Center, Gastonia

About Erwin Center

Erwin Center is a recreation facility in Gastonia that hosts youth and adult athletics, summer camps, and senior citizen programs alongside group trips and special events. The center opened in 1961 on 15 acres in the Highland neighborhood and was named for Dr. Herbert Erwin, Gaston County's first African American physician and youth sports advocate. A full-size gymnasium with a wood court and basketball hoops stands at the facility's core, added in 1967. Outdoors, visitors access a swimming pool, splash pad open during summer months, grass volleyball court, horseshoe pits, playground, tot play area, and walking track. The center also offers youth cooking classes, youth and teen leadership development, babysitting and first aid instruction, and card playing groups. A Gaston County Branch library operates on-site. Picnic shelters and ball fields are available for rental by families, churches, and organizations. Park areas open dawn to dusk daily, with lighted outdoor facilities operating on schedule.