New STEM and Fitness Center Active Again Since Its Closure in 2018

BALTIMORE, MD (Monday, October 18, 2021) — This morning, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks (BCRP) celebrated the reopening of Towanda Recreation Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Towanda is BCRP’s newest STEM and fitness center to serve the Park Heights community.

Elected officials and community leaders were on hand to commemorate the occasion, including BCRP Director Reginald Moore, Mayor Scott, Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton (District 6), State Senator Antonio Hayes (District 40), Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health, and Human Services Faith Leach, Creative City Public Charter School principal Traci Mathena, and Towanda Neighborhood Association secretary Joi Dabney.

“This is a great day for Park Heights as we reopen Towanda Rec, my childhood rec center. Whenever we open a newly renovated rec center, it sends a strong signal to that neighborhood and everyone in it, especially our children,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “My vision for Baltimore includes high quality recreation opportunities for young people, families, and older adults across our neighborhoods — particularly in communities like this one that have been historically left behind. This is one of the ways my administration will prioritize Baltimore youth.”

Following its closure in 2018, BCRP prioritized Towanda recognizing the need for additional recreational access in the surrounding community. BCRP leaders met with the surrounding community to re-imagine how to better utilize the space.

“We now have to re-imagine our spaces to challenge our young people by giving them opportunities,” said Director Moore. “It’s not just the school piece, it’s all of us.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony also featured a performance from the Creative City Public Charter School children’s choir and a tour of the newly renovated facility.

The renovation includes a new fitness area, equipment room, kitchen, multipurpose and STEM rooms and indoor and outdoor basketball courts. BCRP is re-imagining Towanda in three phases first with the recreation center, then with the swimming pool and finally the green spaces on both sides of the facility.

“This Towanda community is smiling now. They have been very patient because the community knows how important this center is in bringing partnerships together,” said Councilwoman Middleton. “This is another clear example of equity and equality in motion.”

Sen. Hayes was particularly optimistic about what’s in store for Towanda. “This is the future of recreation and parks and I’m happy to be here, happy to be a partner with our colleagues in city government to make sure this reality comes true, especially with the partnership of a school right next door,” he said.

About Baltimore City Recreation & Parks

Baltimore City Recreation & Parks (BCRP) is Baltimore’s leading provider of affordable, year-round recreational activities. BCRP builds a stronger Baltimore one community at a time through conservation, well-being and social equity. BCRP manages and maintains 263 parks, 50 recreation centers, 25 miles of biking and hiking trails and more than 5,000 acres of parkland. To learn more about our programs and services, visit bcrp.baltimorecity.gov/.