CLEVELAND — A few months ago, Browns defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II was volunteering at a team event at Cleveland's Lonnie Burton Recreation Center when he was given a tour of the building. He and some teammates got to check out the community space, but on that visit, one room stood out to Hurst.
The computer lab. At least, that was what it was supposed to be.
Pieces and parts of computers were strewn around the room. Piles of dust had collected on the floors and open spaces. There was no WiFi or technology of any kind to be found in the space dedicated to just that.
"This whole room here was a dark yellowish brown. It has been sitting for over 20 years," said Leon Boyd Jr., founder of the consulting firm ArkQTech. "So when Mo [saw] it, Mo said 'We can fix this.'"
Hurst got with the Browns and some fellow defensive linemen and started figuring out what they could do to fix the problem at the rec center.
"They hadn't been remodeled since around the 1980s or around the 1990s, so it didn't really have any working computers or any chairs or printers or things like that, so I really just saw a need," Hurst said.
First, the room itself. Dated and dull, it was not a room that drew anyone in. Partnered with Sherwin Williams, Hurst and the Browns got the room covered in a fresh coat of white paint to brighten up the space.
Then, the technology. Computers for the computer lab were an obvious requirement. Along the wall, Hurst and the Browns had brand new computers lined up on new desks. WiFi was installed within the room. Brand-new computer chairs complement each hub. Televisions and printers were an added bonus from Hurst and his team.
"Mo is the nicest guy ever and his heart is just so big and I just asked for computers. I had no idea that Mo brought in TVs, he brought up video game systems, he brought in printers—I just wanted computers," Boyd said. "I was going to find some desks or tables to put them on, but he was like, 'No, we can do it. Me and the guys can do it.' And they did."
Months in the making, the new computer lab at Lonnie Burton Recreation Center was officially opened on Tuesday. Hurst and a few defensive teammates were there for the grand opening and reveal. They took pictures and signed autographs.
Community members coming in to check out the space got pizza and some Browns gear as well.
For Hurst, seeing the project that he envisioned come to life was special. But what he hopes is even more special is the impact these technological resources might be able to provide for Cleveland's Central neighborhood.
"I feel like having the computers, they're able to do different sort of learning programs, able to work on school projects or things like that outside of the school building, which can always be nice to get out of," Hurst said. "But also just for the community as well—alongside the kids, just parents and things like that—being able to come up here, maybe do some learning, maybe apply for new jobs or things like that. I see that there's a bunch of different needs there that you know technology can help solve."
