The series of recreation buildings being built in Manhattan are almost complete.
Collaborations have been made with Douglass, Anthony, and Eisenhower middle schools to build recreation centers that are open to both the middle school students and the residents of Manhattan. Wyatt Thompson, Manhattan Parks and Recreation Assistant Director, says all three projects are moving right along. He adds that the Douglass Center is starting to feel complete.
They installed the basketball goals last week,” Thompson says. “So when you walk in, it looks different with paint on the walls and the goals there. You can really now tell that it is indeed, going to be a rec center and that gymnasium space just really changed when they put the goal up.”
Douglass Recreation Center construction
Thompson says they do not have an exact opening date set for any of the facilities, but hopes that the construction on Douglass will be complete in mid to late January. He tells KMAN that after the construction, they have a number of things to work through before they can open the facility to the public.
We haven’t opened one of these facilities since the 1950’s, so it’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve to figure out how long it takes to get moved in and set up,” Thompson adds. “We’ll probably learn a lot opening Douglass and Anthony and then Eisenhower may go a little bit smoother because it’ll be our third one.”
If all goes well, and the construction on Douglass is complete in January, Thompson says they will be calling all artists for a proposal on a mural to be painted on the second floor of the Douglass Center. Thompson talks about what they want the mural to represent.
“The diversity of Yuma street, the significance of the Douglass Center and the Douglass School, and what those facilities have done for the neighborhood and the black community in Manhattan.”
Thompson encourages any artists interested in painting the mural to reach out and talks about what they are hoping to find in an artist.
“Kind of understand that area, and understand the people, and is willing to kind of dive in to some of that rich history and then display that in that mural.”
Thompson says the Anthony and Eisenhower recreation centers are also coming along nicely. He says those two centers will have graphic walls instead of a mural to display their history and the community. He adds that there will be mosaic of Susan B. Anthony in the Anthony Center and a mosaic of Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Eisenhower Center as well.
