In the early to mid-1970s, the City of Greensboro saw the need for a community recreation center to serve residents in the southwest part of the city. In 1976, construction began on a new center which was to be called the Southwest Recreation Center. The Greensboro City Council decided instead to honor William Lee Trotter, Jr for his outstanding commitment to the residents of Greensboro and name the new center after him. On August 2, 1976, the City Council approved the resolution to name the new center the William L. Trotter, Jr Community Center, and on December 15, 1977, the Trotter Center opened its doors.

William Lee “Bill” Trotter Jr. (1909-1980) became
president of Southside Hardware Company after                                    William L. Trotter Jr.    
serving as a private and then a corporal in the US Army Air Forces, serving for two years in England. He was a member of the Greensboro City Council from 1959 to 1971 and served as Mayor from 1965 to 1967, and then Mayor Pro Tem. Early in his political career, Trotter was involved in civil rights issues and advocated for the development of a human relations commission for black Greensboro business owners. As Mayor, he actively supported the development of business owners in the southern part of Greensboro. While on the Greensboro City Council, Trotter also served as president of the Greensboro Merchants Association and director of the Chamber of Commerce. He did not run for reelection in 1971, but he remained president of Southside Hardware Company until his death.

In 2019, the Parks & Recreation Department’s Comprehensive Master Plan was completed and the City of Greensboro once again saw a need to serve its residents. This time it was a need for a second senior center, and the Master Plan determined one was most needed to serve the aging population in the southwest part of the city. In 2019, after more than 40 years in operation, Trotter Recreation Center closed its doors to receive some much needed renovations. The center was scheduled to reopen March 13, 2020 as the William L. Trotter Active Adult Center, whose mission would be to serve adults ages 50 and better in the community. The global pandemic unfortunately shut down all recreation facilities for six months, and cancelled all in-person activities for more than a year. The William L. Trotter Active Adult Center finally celebrated its Grand Re-opening and Ribbon Cutting on April 30, 2021 and now proudly provides diverse programs, activities and services that meet the physical, social, mental and cultural needs of active adults in Greensboro and Guilford County.