Corey O'Connor takes aim at Gainey administration over insufficient upkeep of rec centers

Corey O'Connor takes aim at Gainey administration over insufficient upkeep of rec centers
Corey O'Connor takes aim at Gainey administration over insufficient upkeep of rec centers

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Mayoral candidate Corey O'Connor says Pittsburgh isn't doing enough for young people regarding recreational opportunities.

O'Connor held a press conference on Tuesday about the subject.

Sitting vacant since the early 2000s, the Cowley Recreation Center in Troy Hill was the background as Pittsburgh mayoral candidate Corey O'Connor called out present Mayor Ed Gainey's administration.

"I see a mayor and administration that has failed to prioritize the 45,000 kids that call Pittsburgh home," O'Connor (D) said.

O'Connor, who chaired the Pittsburgh Parks and Recreation Department as a city councilman says what's happened to the places children and teens play in Pittsburgh is excusable.

"We're standing before Cowley Rec Center because it's a prime example of failed leadership. Cowley Rec should be open right now. What we see are broken windows and broken doors."

O'Connor says the Cowley Rec Center isn't the only place needing help.

"It's at the Jefferson Rec Center on the North Side. It's in Elliot at the Thaddeus Stephens School, it's in Lincoln-Lemington at the Paulson Rec Center, all defunded by this administration," O'Connor added. "This administration failed to provide a vision for growth in the center and around all young people in Pittsburgh."

O'Connor claims the Gainey administration had $5 million to bring youth and rec programs up to speed, but chose to spend it in other ways.

"We got this money from the American Rescue Plan, and they diverted it to their pet projects," O'Connor said.

If he becomes mayor, O'Connor said he'll join community leaders and organizations to reimagine the city's rec centers, open them before school and on weekends, and expand food and job training programs.

"I will re-focus our park investments so we're not providing the bare minimum like we are doing right now. We can't even get our water fountains turned on," O'Connor said.

O'Connor wants the city rec centers and the like to improve food access, job training, and child care.

"Obviously, you prioritize. You have the capital budget, which is $120 million, the operating budget, and that's where you focus."

The Gainey administration released a statement on O'Connor's comments, saying in part, "From the beginning, I've worked hard to improve and expand recreational opportunities for young people. We've fixed and re-opened pools, built basketball courts and invested in a wide range of services and programming to create opportunity and prevent violence," said Mayor Gainey.

"Regarding ARPA funds and our recreation centers, it's true that we re-budgeted funds, but only because we either substituted ARPA funds for a different form of funding to meet project needs or because we finished the projects under budget."

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