The city of Detroit is partnering with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to use 16 public schools as recreation centers for five weeks starting Monday.
The city wants to give kids more recreational choices, but it would’ve been more expensive to reopen the 16 recreation centers that were closed down between 2006 and 2013.
There are currently 11 recreation centers in the city, so adding these 16 schools during the summer brings the total to 27, where it was in 2006.
This five-week program is free for kids ages 6 to 17, but will cost the city about $625,000 total, which is about $40,000 for each location.
Mayor Mike Duggan says he hopes this will cut down on violence in the city.
“Nobody is claiming that opening the rec centers will stop the violence, but it’s one of several ways that we’re showing the young people in this city that they matter,” Duggan said.
The city has recently increased efforts to lower crime in other ways like Project Greenlight and Peace Peddlers.
Keith Flournoy is the director of the city’s Recreation Department. He says this program will keep Detroit kids off the streets during the summer.
“You’ve got to give kids something positive to do, because if they aren’t doing something positive, they’ll find something negative to do,” Flournoy said.
Duggan says this program will give kids two meals a day, Monday through Friday.
Here's a list of the schools that will function as recreation centers:
Brenda Scott Academy
18440 Hoover
Carstens Elementary
13000 Essex Ave.
Carver STEM Academy
18701 Paul
Cody High School
18445 Cathedral
Cooke STEM Academy
18800 Puritan Avenue
East English Village Preparatory Academy
5020 Cadieux
Gardner Elementary School
6528 Mansfield
Gompers Elementary-Middle School
14450 Burt Road
Henry Ford High School
20000 Evergreen
Hutchinson Elementary-Middle School
2600 Garland
JR King Academic & Performing Arts Academy
15850 Strathmoor
Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School
10147 W. Chicago
Munger Elementary Middle
5525 Martin Rd.
Pasteur Elementary
19811 Stoepel
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy
2585 Grove Street
Western International High School
1500 Scotten
