About Us
Our Story & Commitment to the Community
The Community Recreation Association (CRA) is a collaborative, nonprofit charitable organization that has proudly served the Central Berkshire region since 1923.
As a vibrant and ever-evolving organization, the CRA remains committed to meeting the changing needs of our community. We’re proud to be a trusted resource and welcoming gathering place for individuals and families of all ages.
Our campus includes the Youth Center (DYC), the W. Murray Crane Community House, and Mill + Main—each offering space for a wide variety of programs, events, and community connections. Whether you’re looking to participate, volunteer, or simply spend time with your neighbors, there’s a place for you at the CRA.
Today, the CRA offers approximately 100 programs for youth and adults alike—making it a true community hub.
With a strong focus on children and families, we provide after-school care, youth sports, seasonal camps, and a wide variety of enrichment opportunities.
Across all of our programs and events, we welcome more than 188,000 visitors each year.
Honoring Our Mission—Shaping What’s Next
The Community Recreation Association’s mission is to build a sense of community by offering social, educational, recreational, cultural, and wellness programs to the Central Berkshire community in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. We are a collaborative non-profit charitable organization open to all ages since 1923.
Today, the CRA continues to bring that mission to life by offering a wide range of programs and services for all ages. From youth sports leagues, swim lessons, and after-school care to adult fitness classes, cultural events, and community celebrations, we strive to create opportunities for connection, growth, and fun. With nearly 100 programs offered throughout the year, the CRA serves as a true hub of activity, learning, and belonging for the Central Berkshire region.
Our Mission in Action: Empowering Youth
After School – One of the vital services we provide is the after-school program at Craneville, Kittredge, and Becket-Washington elementary schools, as well as the DYC. At Craneville, we also offer before-school care to support working families. These programs provide a safe and supportive environment where children can study, receive tutoring, and play with peers. Services are also available at the DYC during school vacations, in-service days, snow days, and summer vacation.
Sports Programs – We offer many types of sports programs, all focusing on building teamwork, good sportsmanship, healthy exercise, and fun. Every season offers a choice of sports, including soccer, football, cheer, basketball, volleyball, softball, and baseball. In most of these sports, we offer a house league and, for the more competitive in nature, the travel league, which competes with other towns in our county.
Building Leaders – At the Youth Center, young adults are offered services such as tutoring, dances, and many other age-appropriate programs. The Junior Leaders, Senior Rotary Interact, and Youth Advisory Board (YAB) clubs bring our young people together for fun and community involvement. Members of the clubs volunteer in various CRA and town activities, from helping with holiday parties, working concession stands, and coaching sports to collecting coats for a coat drive.
Adaptive Programs – For many years, we have offered programs for families with children with disabilities, serving individuals from across Berkshire County. Our adaptive programs foster inclusion by bringing together both typical and non-typical high school students to participate in activities such as gym games, soccer, baseball, swimming, and dance. Parents and siblings are encouraged to join in as well. To further enhance our services, we are currently working with Pathways to Friendship, an initiative focused on promoting social inclusion.
Stronger Together: Fitness at the CRA
Fitness & Wellness – At the CRA, members of our community enjoy a fitness center, indoor pool, basketball court, indoor batting cage (seasonal), pickleball courts, and meeting rooms for various functions. Since 1995, the CRA Wellness Center has been meeting the community’s fitness needs in many ways. A variety of options are offered, from Free Motion equipment to free weights, to a variety of fitness classes including yoga, dance, and muscle strengthening. June 2021 marked the tenth anniversary of our co-location with AccessPT (formerly Berkshire Physical Therapy and Wellness). The Wellness Center includes a personal trainer, post-rehabilitation therapy, and sport/specific personal training. They have been a great addition to our center, and our customers have found it very convenient.
Pool – Our pool also offers a variety of services to keep our community safe and active. We offer swim lessons to all ages, and the CRA is home to the Otters swim club. Water aerobics and adult lap swim are two of our most popular time slots. The CRA is also a very popular venue for birthday parties. Combining use of the pool and a meeting room, families have plenty of room for cake and presents, and swimming!
The Gym – The basketball court is one of our multi-purpose rooms. In addition to lunch-time basketball, it is used extensively in the winter by our youth basketball programs, and kids are often found shooting hoops after school. We also offer adult recreation including cornhole and table tennis to seniors. One of the most popular additions to our offerings has been Pickleball, which has quickly become a favorite activity at the CRA for all ages. Numerous exercise classes are also held in this area, including yoga, aerobics, and strength training.
Family – Finally, the CRA offers programs for families, including events such as the fishing derby, Easter egg hunt, Music on Main concerts on the lawn, Halloween Family Walk, and Light Up the Holidays Parade in downtown Dalton. The CRA recognizes the fact that families have changed over the years and, therefore, their needs have changed as well. We pride ourselves in our flexibility and our ability to adjust to our ever-changing environment.
Community Starts with You
Volunteers – All of this could not happen without the CRA’s most valued asset: our 1,200 volunteers. Time after time, they step forward to provide whatever is needed to make the programs work. They are the backbone of this agency and a key ingredient in what makes our community the wonderful place it is to live and work.
Board of Trustees – The CRA is governed by a 20-member Board of Trustees that meets monthly, with its Executive Board convening as needed. The Board oversees the Executive Director, who manages day-to-day operations. Together, the Board, Executive Director, and staff lead year-round fundraising efforts to support the CRA’s annual budget of approximately $1.7 million.
The Support Behind the Programs
The CRA is funded through a diverse mix of sources. The Town of Dalton has long contracted with the CRA to provide youth sports and the summer parks program. We receive generous support from Berkshire United Way for several youth initiatives, including the Youth Center (DYC).
Additional funding comes from memberships, program fees, individual donations, and grants from local businesses and foundations. Financial assistance is available, and we encourage families in need to contact us for support. It is our goal to never turn a child away for financial reasons.
Building a Stronger Community
For over 100 years, the CRA has been a trusted hub for community engagement, offering a space for people of all ages to learn, grow, and connect. We remain dedicated to providing a safe, welcoming environment for adult recreation and socialization and ensuring every child has the same opportunity for growth and development.
A donation to the CRA will have a lasting impact on our community—your generosity makes a difference!
Founded in 1923: The Roots of the CRA
In 1908, W. Murray Crane funded the construction of the Youth Center (DYC), and upon his death in 1920, his Will requested the construction of the community house. The house opened in November 1923 and has been continuously operational since that time, delivering quality programs through the organization referred to as the Community Recreation Association (CRA).
In the early 1920s, when it first opened, it was a place where men and women could come to meet, learn, attend shows and swim, bowl, and play basketball. Over the years, although the mission and values have remained the same, the social, educational, cultural, recreational, and wellness activities have continually evolved. Men and women no longer come in their separate entrances, and the men’s smoking room was removed a long time ago!
CRA Campus
W. Murray Crane Community House
400 Main St, Dalton, MA:
Get Directions
Youth Center (DYC)
27 S Carson Ave, Dalton, MA:
Get Directions
Mill + Main
444 Main St, Dalton, MA:
Get Directions