The CORE
Hobbs, New Mexico
The Beacon Recreation Center
Arlington, Texas
BASE Community Center
Big Sky, Montana
CORE - Morse Park Recreation Center
Elk Grove, California
CORE is the new hub for health, wellness, and connection in Elk Grove. Owned and operated by the Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD), this 59,000-square-foot, all electric, two-story facility fills a critical service gap for the community by offering year-round access to court sports, fitness, and flexible programming for all ages and abilities.
LocationElk Grove, California
ClientConsumnes Community Services District
TypeRecreation
CategoryMultigenerational, Current, Certified Sustainable
SustainabilityCALGreen Tier 2
Square Footage59,000
Completion2025
COsumnes REcreation
The CORE Recreation Center brings new life to Morse Community Park, transforming three acres of the 30-acre campus into a dynamic, 59,000-square-foot community hub. Kimley-Horn, with original park designer Paul Mewton, shaped the site to seamlessly connect the CORE with Morse Community Park.
Spaces That Energize
Inside, the CORE offers something for everyone. Two gymnasiums accommodate basketball, pickleball, and volleyball, with an elevated jogging track weaving throughout. A spacious fitness floor is complemented by three studios, outdoor workout areas, and connections to the surrounding park.
Walk/jog track and free weights
Design Threads: Tapestry + Energy
The CORE’s design is guided by two themes: Tapestry and Energy.
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Tapestry reflects Elk Grove’s diverse population and the center’s role as a unifying place for the community. Overlapping materials, layered views, and the interplay of light and shadow express the richness of a community woven together.
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Energy celebrates the vitality of activity, movement, and technology. A dynamic graphic, reminiscent of a ribbon cable, flows and bounces through the space, drawing the eye to the activity inside and echoing the area’s burgeoning tech industry. The facility becomes the motherboard of the park, fueled by the energy of the vibrant people.
Sun shades cast shadows as the sun moves around the building.
Light Interference Color (LIC) stainless steel tiles change with movement.
Exterior + Interior Expression
On the exterior, stainless steel Light Interference Color tiles shimmer and change hues with movement, evoking traditional moiré patterns while highlighting the Tapestry theme. A continuous line of elements—sun canopies, fence panels, and tiled massing—pulls the eye across the facade and into the lobby. Inside, wall and ceiling treatments tie back to the Energy theme, drawing the eye upward to the second floor and showcasing the activity within.
Sustainable by Design
The CORE is an all-electric facility designed to meet Cal Green Tier 2 standards, achieving energy performance 15% beyond Title 24 requirements. The building is solar-ready, with over 7,000 square feet of roof space designated for future photovoltaics. The site includes EV charging stations, with infrastructure in place for future expansion. These investments make the CORE a forward-looking model of sustainable recreation.
The front gym will provide open play and pickleball during the day. The back gym will provide more youth programming.
Community Impact
The CORE was originally envisioned as a revenue-neutral facility, but innovative planning has made it a revenue generator. A multipurpose room was reimagined as a boutique functional fitness studio that connects directly to outdoor turf and training spaces—creating new membership and program opportunities. Even the equipment reflects the facility’s identity, branded with the CORE logo to reinforce community pride.
The balcony can host yoga classes.
