Residents, Officials to Dedicate City Center Named for Fallen
Officer
Sept. 24, 2002
Neighbors, fellow police officers and Phoenix city officials will gather Saturday, September 28 for the grand opening of a recreation center named for a Phoenix police officer killed in the line of duty.
The 2,915-square foot Marc Atkinson Recreation Center, at 4552 N. 23rd Avenue (just south of Camelback) includes a 1,640-square-foot multipurpose room, a police office and a community room for recreational programs and meetings. Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza and Councilman Phil Gordon will attend. The dedication ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and will be followed by refreshments and youth activities.
Residents of the Westwood neighborhood, where the center is located, suggested the name for the recreation center after Officer Atkinson was killed in the line of duty. The community wanted to commemorate its long-time relationship with the Phoenix Police Department and Officer Atkinson's commitment to youth and family.
Staff with the Parks and Recreation Department will use the center to offer various programs including arts and crafts; games; computers and tutoring. Kid Street Park, where the recreation center is located, was opened in December 2000. The 2.2-acre park includes volleyball courts, a playground, basketball courts, picnic areas and open play space.
Money from the 2001 bond election; a general city budget appropriation; a Community Development Block grant; a federal Housing and Urban Development grant; and donations from the Stardust and Parks foundations funded the center's construction. The Parks Foundation is an independent non-profit agency that collects donations from private sources for parks-related projects.
Media Contact:
| David Urbinato |
602-262-5294 |
| Joyce Valdez |
602-262-5296 |
