(BALTIMORE) – Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks (Rec & Parks), joined by Maryland Senator Antonio Hayes, Baltimore City Councilman James Torrence, the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (Baltimore DHCD) and community leaders, celebrated the grand opening of the brand-new Parkview Recreation Center in West Baltimore’s Penn North neighborhood.
The $14 million project transforms a 2.8-acre former elementary school and recreation center site into a modern 16,000-square-foot recreation center and park directly connected to the building, a first for a City recreation center. The new facility includes a large gymnasium, catering kitchen, flexible multi-purpose room, large fitness area, ADA accessibility and a community park with flexible green space, walking paths, picnic pavilion and playground.
This project is part of the City’s Rec Roll Out initiative, which prioritizes access to safe, modern recreational facilities. Funding was provided through federal, state, and local sources, including $11.3 million allocated from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant administered by Baltimore DHCD, Maryland’s Project Open Space, Maryland’s Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure fund and Baltimore City.
Additionally, the construction of the new Parkview Recreation Center continues a strong partnership between Baltimore DHCD and Rec & Parks. The project is part of the City’s coordinated, multi-sector efforts to improve housing, vacant buildings, and increase recreation opportunities—advancing broader efforts to revitalize and strengthen communities through collaboration.
Parkview Recreation Center is the first of several public investment efforts underway in the surrounding area. Just north of the new facility, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation is reconfiguring Druid Lake Drive, a busy thoroughfare bordering Druid Hill Park and Rec & Parks, is in the design phases of creating active recreational use of the former Druid Lake reservoir. Both projects will add to the area’s transformation and improve the quality of life.
Towson Mechanical served as the general contractor, while GWWO Architects led the building design.
Find a center, playground, pool, or park at https://www.baltimorecity.gov/bcrp.
Quotes:
- Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott: "I want to thank everyone who helped us design a recreation center and park that meets the needs of Penn North residents. This is about ensuring our young people and families have access to the world-class facilities they deserve. We know this community faced intentional disinvestment for generations, so we're being just as intentional in our work to create opportunity today. Projects like this one are proof that transformation is possible when we listen to our residents and work with them to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable communities."
- Dr. Director Reginald Moore, Baltimore City Recreation & Parks: “Parkview Recreation Center is a historic investment in the Penn North community and in the future of Baltimore’s young people and families. This space was intentionally designed for the community as the city’s first recreation center connected directly to a park and built to serve as a welcoming gathering place for generations to come. We are excited to partner with residents to fill this center with programming, opportunity and life.”
- Maryland Senator Antonio Hayes, District 40: "This recreation center is a full-circle moment for me because Penn North is home. I grew up here, and I know firsthand what access to safe spaces and opportunity mean for a young person,” said Maryland State Senator Antonio Hayes, District 40. “Communities like this have too often been overlooked and counted out, but today we are sending a different message. This neighborhood matters and deserves real investment. From housing redevelopment to more than $70 million invested along the West North Avenue corridor, this ribbon cutting represents more than one building. It represents belief in the future of Penn North.”
- Baltimore City Councilman James Torrence, District 7: “Today’s reopening of the Parkview Recreation Center represents more than a renovated building — it reflects a continued commitment to reinvesting in Penn North and creating spaces where young people, families, and residents can thrive. I’m grateful to Mayor Brandon Scott and Senator Antonio Hayes for their partnership and shared vision for West Baltimore. This investment, alongside new housing and future economic development in the corridor, signals that our communities are not being overlooked, they are being prioritized.”
- Baltimore City Comptroller Bill Henry: "The newly renovated Parkview Community Center will serve as an amenity for the entire neighborhood, providing a safe place for our children and a key resource for our adults and seniors. Parkview has long deserved this and I'm excited to see it come to fruition."
- Acting Housing Commissioner Tim Keane, Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development (Baltimore DHCD): “This project shows what we can achieve when partners unite to strengthen neighborhoods and make exceptional public buildings and spaces. DHCD is proud to provide support through Community Development Block Grant funds as a dedicated partner in the creation of this brand-new Parkview Recreation Center. This development brings another anchoring asset to this part of West Baltimore.”
- Tamara Hall, Penn North Community Assocation: “I am hopeful that, just as Parkview positively impacted my life, this new facility will continue to help shape the lives of our young people — and even some of our more seasoned residents — by providing opportunities for growth, leadership, fellowship, and community engagement.”
About Baltimore City Recreation and Parks
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks (Rec & Parks) is Baltimore's leading provider of affordable, year-round recreational activities. Rec & Parks builds a stronger Baltimore, one community at a time, through conservation, well-being, and social equity. The agency manages and maintains 263 parks, 51 recreation centers, 25 miles of biking and hiking trails, and approximately 4,700 acres of parkland. To learn more about our programs and services, visit https://www.baltimorecity.gov/bcrp.