Atlanta recreation centers reopening

By Leon Stafford

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The city of Atlanta plans to have a post-holiday gift for the area's young people early next year.

By Jan. 3, all of the city's recreation centers will be open, many of them with updated computer equipment and new flooring, roofs and furniture, says George Dusenbury, commissioner of Atlanta Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs.

The most changed will be the Butler Street Recreation Center, which has undergone a complete renovation after suffering severe storm damage and being hit by vandals who ripped out most of the building's copper wiring.

"Butler was basically gutted," Dusenbury said.

The centers yet to open are Butler, Grant Park, Coan Park, C.A. Scott and Oakland. Lang Carson recently opened to limited use, Dusenbury said.

The opening of the centers makes good on a promise Mayor Kasim Reed made while campaigning for the city's highest office last year. He pledged to open by year's end 18 of the recreation centers former Mayor Shirley Franklin's staff shuttered in an effort to balance the city budget.

The Atlanta City Council set aside $3.7 million in the 2011 budget for the centers.

Dusenbury and Sonji Jacobs Dade, the mayor's director of communications, said the work will be finished by Dec. 31, but officials decided to delay the opening until early next year because of the holidays.

"We thought it would be better to save the taxpayers money" by not operating when there wouldn't be much need, Dusenbury said.

Reed also has been talking with private donors and businesses to raise millions to create "Centers of Hope" at the recreation facilities. The program would allow the recreation centers to broaden the focus on athletics to include educational, cultural and artistic training.

Dade said the money could also help create a funding source for the recreation centers so that if there is another downturn in the economy, "the children of Atlanta won't suffer because of it."

One of those funding sources has already stepped forward. Athletic shoe manufacturer Converse has pledged to give $200,000 to the "Centers of Hope" initiative.

The company also is donating a little over $100,000 to the refurbishment of three city basketball courts and almost $200,000 for development of an outdoor basketball court at Piedmont Park.

"With a rich history in basketball, Converse is dedicated to bringing the sport to the youth of Atlanta through Converse Open Gym," said Geoff Cottril, chief marketing officer for Massachusetts-based Converse. "This city has a rich history in sport, music and culture as does Converse. Greats have to start somewhere and that’s why we are here."