Baltimore City government owns four downtown parking garages. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake wants to sell them off, and use the money to fund construction at the city’s rec centers and pools.
On Tuesday, Rawlings-Blake outlined a $136 million plan for building improvements that would reopen rec centers that currently need renovations, and create new facilities. A total of 11 new centers would come online. A website created for the city’s rec center plans, called Destination Active, provides a glimpse at plans for fitness centers in Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Cherry Hill, and a pool in Druid Hill Park.
Rawlings-Blake made a similar proposal involving selling parking garages earlier this year. But City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young wouldn’t budge on the proposal because he wanted it include a pair of “super rec centers” for the east and west side, respectively, according to a Baltimore Sun article from March. The city owns a total of 17 parking garages.
