The Don Bosco Center was created and built by residents of northeast Kansas City who wanted a safe place for their children. In the late 1930’s, the Italian community in Columbus Park decided that the children in their neighborhood needed a safe place to go with meaningful recreational activities. Members of the community volunteered their time to build the center on evenings and weekends. Construction of our original building took less than one year. When it was complete in 1940, the Don Bosco Center fulfilled its original mission by becoming the focal point for young people in Columbus Park.