City leaders hear out residents on future of shuttered Meadows Park Community Center
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Neighbors in southeast Colorado Springs are still reeling from the sudden closure of the Meadows Park Community Center - and now they’re taking their concerns directly to city officials.
The City of Colorado Springs shut down the 40-year-old center earlier this month as part of an effort to reduce a $31 million budget shortfall. Officials say the closure will save roughly $775,000, but many in the community argue it comes at the cost of the neighborhood.
Residents say the decision was made too quickly and without community input. However, on Wednesday, October 23, Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Councilmembers Nancy Henjum and Kimberly Gold hosted a community meeting at the center to discuss its future and gather public feedback.
City leaders emphasized they don’t want the building to sit vacant and have convened a “solutions team” to explore new ideas for how the space could continue to serve the community.
State Representative Dr. Regina English attended the meeting as a concerned resident and former neighborhood resident.
"This was the place where my kids grew up playing basketball and participating in after-school programs," she said. "It was a second home for our family, filled with laughter, learning, and unforgettable memories."
Rep. English expressed that cutting programs is hurtful to the southeast area of Colorado Springs, which already has limited resources. She hopes people unite to bring back the community center.
For those who couldn’t attend, the city is collecting public feedback through a community survey.
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