The 8th District Rebuild Community Engagement Committee has chosen the final list of prioritized sites to receive funding through the $500 million Rebuild initiative to upgrade city parks, recreation centers and libraries. Councilwoman Cindy Bass (8th District) created the committee in March in response to significant community interest in Rebuild.
Sites recommended by the 8th District Rebuild Committee to receive a new building or a building addition through Rebuild are:
Barrett Playground
Happy Hollow Recreation Center
Jerome Brown Playground
Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library
Morton Playground
Panati Playground
Pastorius Park
Nicetown-Tioga Library
Vernon Park
Sites recommended for renovations are:
Belfield Recreation Center
Daniel E. Rumph II Playground
Morris Estate Recreation Center
Price Street Play Lot
Water Tower Recreation Center
Councilwoman Bass submitted the site recommendations to Rebuild staff on Thursday, September 7.
“We’ve had some good turnout at other meetings, but this is the best turn out we’ve had by far,” Councilwoman Bass said to the room, out of which meeting attendees were spilling into the hallway. “At future meetings, we’re going to be talking about some of the spaces, what we have where, mapping things out, making sure that we have the amenities that people want to see in their neighborhood, and working with rec center leaders to make sure people have the programs they want to see in their neighborhood.”
The committee has met several times since its inception and will work throughout the duration of Rebuild to foster community-based site renovations and help monitor workforce diversity.
“We’ve been working hard on Rebuild to make sure that there’s an opportunity for local hiring and that there’s minority hiring and we’re going to be paying a whole lot of attention to that,” Councilwoman Bass said.
“This was a great experience for me because instead of driving past a lot of these facilities in my area, it made me get out of my car and actually go in,” committee member Darisha Miller said.
Said committee member George Stevenson, who conducted several site evaluations, “The recreation centers, the libraries and the parks are going to be our own–they’re going to be our home. And we’re all going to be a part of it.”
# # #
Councilwoman Cindy Bass represents the 8th Council District, which includes Germantown, Mt. Airy, Nicetown, Tioga, Chestnut Hill, portions of Logan, and West Oak Lane. She is Chair of Council’s committees on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and Public Health and Human Services.
