The Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center officially opened to the public on February 10 in East Flatbush, becoming the first new Parks rec center in Central Brooklyn in more than a decade and the borough's largest facility. The $141 million center is expected to serve over 41,000 residents within a 15-minute walk or transit ride. Council Member Farah N. Louis, who spearheaded the project, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani led the grand opening on February 9 alongside local and state officials, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, State Senator Kevin Parker, and Assemblymembers Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and Monique Chandler-Waterman.
When Allston and Brighton residents swiped their gym cards at Harvard in early September, they were stunned to find their access cut off - ending a decade-long, under-the-radar but increasingly popular perk that let them use the university's athletic facilities for about $5 a month. In response, residents took to social media, voicing their shock and dismay over the program ending. Residents say the perk allowed them access to a pool, gym, and track, all of which are limited in supply in the neighborhood.
"Skating has been a mainstay in the Black community for decades. Black skate culture is ginormous. It's so big. And you would think it doesn't exist because it isn't something that's widely covered."