The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center is a 12.4-acre family support, education, recreation, and cultural arts center, made possible by a generous gift by the late philanthropist Mrs. Joan Kroc. With a gymnasium, climbing wall, fitness center, indoor skate park, education center, theatre, preschool, family resource center, and NHL-regulation indoor ice arena, the Kroc Center resembles a miniature city more than a community center. The state-of-the-art campus provides opportunities that facilitate positive, life-changing experiences through art, athletics, personal development, spiritual discovery, and community service. The facility's ice surface hosts public ice-skating sessions, group and private skating lessons, hockey classes, and drop-in, youth, and adult hockey leagues.
Opened in 2002, the San Diego Kroc Center became the first of 27 nationwide community buildings erected by The Salvation Army as part of a project funded by philanthropist Joan Kroc, wife of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc. Mrs. Kroc donated $87 million to fund construction of the first center, and left $1.5 billion to The Salvation Army when she passed away in 2003 to build 26 more. At the time, this was the largest philanthropic gift ever given to any single charity at one time.
