Stonington Community Center

"Where Neighbors Become Friends"

Our History

The first meeting of the Stonington Community Center took place on July 16, 1945 but it was not until April 1, 1946 that the Stonington Community Center building opened in Ambulances Corps Hall in Stonington.



In April 1957, the Stonington Community Center continued to grow with the addition of two new tennis courts on Cutler Street and the purchase of Owen's Field.



The Stonington Community Center was growing and needed more space, necessitating a new building was built that opened on November 15, 1969. The new building housed the Doris Muller Preschool, a large gymnasium, an auditorium and several classrooms. The final acquisition of property happened on March 15, 1974 when the property that houses the Annex and Thrift Shop was acquired.


The mission of the Stonington Community Center is “helping neighbors become friends and helping friends work together, the COMO engages residents, businesses, and community groups in building a strong, vibrant community.”



The name "COMO" comes from a nickname given to the community center by children and teenagers that frequented the building. The first reference to the nickname appears in a newspaper article from 1950 that highlights a baseball game between the Stonington COMO's and the Old Mystic Baseball Club.



The Stonington Community Center was established over sixty five years ago to aid in the physical, social, mental, and personal growth of the young people and adults of the Stonington community. The center derives its revenue from a variety of sources, but principally from activity and educational program fees, Thrift Shop sales, and special fundraising events. Activity fees consist of revenue from programs offered to both members and non-members of the center. Among the programs offered are soccer, basketball, exercise, tennis, pottery, karate, and more. Educational components offered at the center include preschool, Kinderfun, before/after school, and summer camps. The Thrift Shop sells donated goods.


Currently the Stonington Community Center offers a variety of services and programs for all ages. The education component offers a preschool program that services forty children, age three to five. It also offers a large before and after school component that started in 1988 and has steadily grown. The program currently works out of local schools and has over 150 children registered. The final education component is a summer camp that hosts area children for ten weeks and offers choices such as theater, art, pottery, sports, dance, and more. The athletic program is also very busy with tennis, basketball, and soccer. The total number of children served is well over 1,000. We also provide programs for over 250 adults throughout the year.



Along with our programs that are offered on a regular basis, the COMO hosts community events throughout the year. Some of the programs include our Village Fair, Halloween Party, St. Nicholas Day and Talent Show.



Many local groups also use the facilities at the COMO for different needs. Local theater groups use the stage space for theater productions several times a year. The town has also used the building for political debates. Other area groups have held meetings, lectures and various workshops have taken place in it as well.


The community that the COMO serves is widely varied, just like its programs. The COMO has services and programs for children and adults starting at age three. Most of the population is from the Stonington, Pawcatuck and Mystic areas with some outreach to extended areas.