Charles Young Center to Re-Open

At its last meeting before the holiday break the Council voted to adopt the recommendations contained in the Charles Young Community Center (CYCC) Task Force report.  The CYCC is a historic building in the East End which is mentioned in the East End Small Area Plan.  You can read two Merlene Davis articles about the Center here and here.

The Task Force report recommended that:

1) an Advisory Board be established to prioritize, evaluate, and recommend community-based programs and services;

2) LFUCG would retain ownership of the building;

3) LFUCG and the Advisory Board would initiate a formal process by soliciting Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) from all interested parties for programs and services to be facilitated at CYCC;

4) LFUCG would appropriate $173,000 for preliminary short-term facility capital needs at CYCC and that the Community Development Block Grant is the recommended funding source; and

5) the Ann Street green space would be incorporated into the official Charles Young Park land plat.

I was a member of the Task Force appointed by the Vice Mayor in February of 2011 to assist in developing a comprehensive, community-oriented study to initiate the redevelopment of the Charles Young Center and Park.  First District Councilmember Chris Ford chaired the Task Force.

Over the course of the 12 meetings held by the Task Force we heard from many members of the community, often in impassioned ways,  about the meaning that the Center has had and the central role it has played for present and former residents of the East End.  We also heard about the many ways that our government has not fully met its obligations and commitments to residents of the East End.  The re-opening of the Charles Young Center is a step in the repairing of some of that unfortunate history.

Approval of the recommendations means that Urban County Government will undertake the necessary repairs and improvements to make the building fully functional.  Approval also means that UCG will partner with residents of the East End to seek and review initial and ongoing  proposals for Charles Young Center programming that best reflect the needs, interests, and desires of the residents of the East End.