EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — After years of being closed, East Cleveland’s Martin Luther King Jr., Civic Center is reopening on May 1.
Now, East Cleveland Service and Parks Director Antonio Marshall said he hopes it will give the community a safe gathering space to meet once again.
“When the civic was open, we were able to touch the kids that had problems, so we were able to talk to them. We were able to grab them and just love them and make them have a different outlook than the streets. So when we lost that, we got where we at now. The crime rate for the kids is really high,” said Marshall.
Marshall and Council President Lateek Shabazz said they hope to change this narrative, especially after East Cleveland Police said a 15-year-old teen accidentally shot and killed himself just blocks away from the center nearly two weeks ago.
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“I’m looking for the crime to go down in this area. I’m sure that will be because kids will have something to do and something positive to do,” said Shabazz.
During Wednesday’s tour, News 5 received an exclusive first look at the recreation center’s newly renovated space, which will include a state-of-the-art weight room, a walking track, an indoor turf and tons of gym space.
I asked: “Do you think this gathering space has been missing here in East Cleveland?”
Council President Shabazz: "Absolutely. Absolutely, because there’s nowhere to gather."
Since 2020, Shabazz said the center has been vacant due to much-needed repairs to bring it up to date and to make it safe.
Now, he said the center is ready after receiving around $700,000 from the city’s general funds and donations from Birthing Beautiful Communities for renovations.
Shabazz said the city even received donated basketballs, TV screens and shirts from Cleveland Cavaliers Majority Owner Dan Gilbert and a $200,000 Community Development Block grant for waterproofing.
“I think it’s wonderful. I think we’re a city that’s getting ready to come back up. We’re going in the right direction,” said Shabazz.
