RICHMOND, Va. -- The first full day of spring found kids outside at a South Richmond basketball court, shooting for success.
The basketball court is just a part of a multi-million dollar project to bring a recreational and community center to the heart of the City`s Southside.
"It's a good idea,” said parent Jennifer Adediran. “Southside doesn't have one. We need one."
Councilman Michael Jones, 9th District, is now leading the charge to try and get it done.
"We still need additional funding to complete the rest of the project,” Jones said.
Three years after a project intended to give Richmond kids a safe shelter was approved by city leaders, the facility isn’t complete.
The building was once owned by the ROC church and was supposed to be turned into a community center.
"There's parts of the property that we cannot use, buildings that we cannot get access into that will allow us to do a lot of creative programming in the 9th district,” Jones said.
Jones said former Councilwoman Michelle Mosby set aside $3.6 million for the project. So far, the city's spent $2.4 million to purchase the property and land and renovate an inside gymnasium, meeting rooms and showers.
That leaves a balance of $1. 2 million. The problem, Jones said, is that three of the buildings have to be demolished and redesigned with a new HVAC system – which could cost an additional $3 million.
"Can the city afford to put more money into this?
Jones said the city can’t currently afford to put more money into the project.
“The monies aren't there,” he said. “We have to find in somewhere in the budget."
But what concerns Jones even more is that the lack of funding and construction could turn this area into a neighborhood eyesore.
"It doesn't mean that you have to spend millions of dollars for it,” Jones said. “But clean up the site, cut the grass, put paint where paint is needed.”
“That's what's not happening right now,” he added. “That's what I'm looking forward to making happen in the coming months and the following years."
"I think they should've done their homework a little better because excess money could be used for streets,” Adediran said.
And while city leaders crunch the numbers Adediran said the bigger goal is to help the kids.
"A community center is a perfect example to keep them safe."
