Baltimore leaders and Poppleton neighbors will celebrate the revitalization of the Poppleton Recreation Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 12 at 2 p.m.
Local nonprofits, community members, and a church in Baltimore County have worked together to renovate the long-neglected rec center in Poppleton, a neighborhood in southwest Baltimore City. Abandoned for nearly two decades, the newly renovated Poppleton Recreation Center has 7,500 square feet of space.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration will offer tours of the new space, music and entertainment, light refreshments, and a sample recreation program of activities for youth and families to enjoy. The event is hosted by Southwest Partnership (SWP), Southwest Sports and Fitness Alliance (SSFA), and Church of the Nativity. The event is free and open to the public.
“This kind of project was not within the normal scope for a small nonprofit like Southwest Partnership,” said Tony Scott, Executive Director for Southwest Partnership. “But in some ways it is exactly what an organization like ours pulls off—we work with our neighbors to build durable partnerships and don’t stop until it gets done.”
Southwest Partnership is a nonprofit supporting seven neighborhoods in SW Baltimore City. It raised $3 million to renovate the community recreation center in Poppleton, which has been vacant for nearly two decades. Church of the Nativity in Lutherville-Timonium was the first to sign on with support. One of the congregation’s parishioners helped the church raise over $500,000 in donations, volunteer hours, and resources. Southwest Sports and Fitness Alliance joined the partnership to offer recreation programs for youth and adults, community events and educational programming.
“Our focus with our local missions program is to walk alongside our local partners, assisting them to move the needle on long-term, transformational projects & programs,” said Amy Rogers, mission director for Church of the Nativity. “When presented with the opportunity to assist with this project, we as a church community and organization, saw the potential and the generational impact this project would have in Southwest Baltimore and in the Poppleton Neighborhood. We look forward to our continued partnership with Southwest Partnership and Southwest Sports Fitness Alliance and cannot wait to see the fruit that comes of this project and building.”
The Poppleton Recreation Center is located at 1049 W. Saratoga Street, Baltimore, MD. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration takes place on Thursday, June 12 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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