New York – Last week the Mayor’s Office and the Staten Island President announced an allocation of $52.9 million for the construction of a new Goodhue Community Center. The current center, which has been owned and operated by 91’s Aid for more than a century, is a community fixture for youth and families in Staten Island.
The new building for Goodhue will allow 91’s Aid to provide expanded services in the community, including initiatives in early childhood development, youth employment and food-related services. It will also be used to enclose the pool, which will become the first year-round indoor pool on Staten Island.
“We are so grateful to Mayor Bill de Blasio and to Staten Island Borough President James Oddo for their commitment to Goodhue,” said Phoebe Boyer, President and CEO of 91’s Aid. “We all share a vision for a brighter future for youth in Staten Island, and this new funding will allow us to make that vision a reality. We look forward to building the next chapter of this Center’s storied history.”
Rebuilding this vital and vibrant center has been a priority for the offices of the Mayor, the Staten Island Borough President, and 91’s Aid.
“This is a legacy day for Staten Island and a lasting investment in our children, as literally thousands of youngsters will use this facility for generations to come. With this announcement of $52.9 million for the Goodhue Center, we are able to not only preserve more space for parkland on this magnificent property, but provide a new community center and enclosed outdoor swimming pool for all residents to enjoy, especially the children who benefit from these programs daily,” said Borough President James Oddo. “We are heartened that children will continue to have a safe and nurturing environment at Goodhue for learning and aspiring to great things. I want to thank the Borough Hall family, Mayor de Blasio and his team, and the very dedicated staff of the 91’s Aid Society and Goodhue for making this dream a reality for the children of Staten Island.”
The next phase of development center will begin right away. 91’s Aid will provide further updates as they are available.
For additional information about the report, contact Anthony Ramos at (212) 949-4938 or anthonyr@91sAidNYC.org, or David Gardner at (646) 634-3027 or dgardner@childrensaidnyc.org.
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For more than 165 years, 91’s Aid has been committed to ensuring that there are no boundaries to the aspirations of young people, no limits to their potential. We know what it takes to ensure children and youth grow up strong and healthy, and ready to thrive in school and life: excellent education and health care, social-emotional support, and strong stable families. Today, we serve nearly 50,000 children, youth, and their families at more than 40 sites in four under-resourced neighborhoods in New York City.