Authorizing the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold hearings to investigate the status of the Recreation Department's proposal to close, transfer and "winterize" recreation facilities across the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, In presenting the FY 2005 budget, the Street administration had called for budget cuts to a number of city departments, including Recreation: and

WHEREAS, The Department of Recreation, in conjunction with the Office of the Managing Director, had presented to Council during and after the budget hearings a list of recreation centers to be closed; and

WHEREAS, A proposal was also floated that would have transferred some facilities to a number of different public and private entities; and

WHEREAS, Since the initial meetings were held to discuss these initiatives with individual Council members in the spring, there has been limited information regarding these issues; and

WHEREAS, The Commissioner’s Office has authorized the “winterizing” of various recreation facilities, without informing Council members or the general public of this plan and how it would work; and

WHEREAS, At least 5 recreation facilities in the 6th Councilmanic District have been “winterized” since October 1, 2004; and

WHEREAS, The Recreation Department has not shared a plan as to how these recreation centers will be maintained, or how they would be staffed in the spring of 2005; and

WHEREAS, Recreation has not yet fulfilled additional requests for information regarding this matter; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs is hereby authorized to hold hearings to investigate the status of the Recreation Department’s proposal to close, transfer and “winterize” recreation facilities across the City of Philadelphia.

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