The Friends of George Cushingberry Jr.
Johnson Recreation Center has to be rebuilt from the ground
up because it will cost more per month to operate. Jonson Center looks new on the outside but
when you go inside, the pool and other construction issues become more apparent.
The pool was a former outdoor pool that served the neighborhood before, during,
and after normal working hours of 12-7:45pm.
Currently the pool at Johnson Center is not code compliant to today’s Building
Safety Engineering Department standards(BSEE) and, cost ineffective because the Johnson Center pool was built around
the existing outdoor pool. During the project the contractors built the new face around the old structure and kept the old
plumbing in place.
At this moment Johnson Rec Center is being used as a storage facility for unused and paid for things like signs, games, etc. You do not go inside with a suit on, more like blue jeans and a t-shirt because of the dust.
Solution? A number
of solutions were being floated around the neighborhood. One involved a special
assessment on all residential property within a 2 mile range of Johnson
Center. This self-imposed fee on your
property tax of an additional $50 per are restricted funds that cannot be
touched or diverted to anything else by law.
Another solution is to seek out a grant as a non-profit to receive funds
to build a new center that is economically feasible to manage. Features like tank-less water heating and
lights connected to sensors will greatly reduce the electric and light bills to
the taxpayers.
Once the new center is built, then the residents will have
membership privileges and will be able to use the center along with other
citizens. The neighborhood association in
charge of managing the funds use on recreation will have a great say in the
direction of their investments.
If you are interested in supporting this cause please
contact our office so that we can set up a meeting to make an action plan. We also plan to be at the annual 8 mile gathering behind old Beaubien Jr. High School a.k.a. Bates Academy.
We feel that Johnson Center is a vital asset to the
neighborhood and if we can reopen this facility, this will lead to a rebirth of
our community in District 2, especially for the children.
That's so great to here the seniors and the kids need that back . The kids need somewhere to go in the summer and winter to stay out of trouble and say off the streets doing who now's what . God is good 🙏
ReplyDeleteI used to go there for tap dancing lessons, swimming outside, rollerskating and other activities. It would be wonderful to have it available again. The kids will have someplace to have fun.
ReplyDeleteWe used to play basketball there all the time and there boxing program was great please let's get it back open the youth of today needs Johnson's Recreation Center
ReplyDeleteIt appears that your solution is a little too late! According to some men observed walking around Johnson Center on Thursday that U of D Jesuit High School and Academy purchase both Johnson Recreation Center and the closed Higginbotham School. Therefore, by the end of August, they will start refurbishing these buildings by the end of August. As a result, no facility in this neighborhood where individuals, particularly our youth can go for constructive activities, thanks to our previous (Bing) and current (Duggan) City of Detroit administrators.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Ms. Fludd.
ReplyDeleteAfter careful review of your comments we at the City of Detroit are more than willing to verify information received from our constituents. According to our Director of Recreation and Land Bank personnel, no one from any organization has spoken with them about Johnson Center or the Higginbotham School. It is still in it's current status of being maintained by the General Services Division.
In a partnership with the 8 Mile Old Timers Association, we will continue the Push with Pro Tem Cushingberry for the Unity in Our Community by facilitating the reopening of recreation centers in the City Of Detroit.
We are on time and on track to re-energize our neighborhoods with viable recreation centers and a strong Department of Recreation that will give our children better things to do.
If you have any questions call us at (313) 224-4535
We will see you on Sept 14th at the Church
Richard C. Clement - Recreation Activist
Office of City Councilmember Pro-Tem George Cushingberry Jr.
Phone: (313) 224-4535
Email: ClementR@Detroitmi.Gov
Hi George. I would like to re-open Johnson's. I was calling your office to try and get guidelines. I was thinking maye I could get a federal grant, for renovating and a staff. If this is not the way to go, and you already have something in place, please let me know. I can be reached at 586-339-2792. Thank you kindly, Michele Bradford.
ReplyDelete