UPDATED By Stephen Witt (Special from Our Time Press)
Parents of the beloved Bed-Stuy Von King Park Cultural Arts Center are accusing the Parks Department of playing with the numbers to close the center’s after school program so the city can decentralize and take it over.
The center houses one of the best infrastructures in the city for the performing arts with a full indoor stage and outdoor amphitheater as well as a computer lab, homework room and a culinary arts space. Additionally local artisans and non-profit organizations in such varied fields as ceramics and the martial arts often engage the many local youth between the ages of 6-13 that have been utilizing the after school program for generations.
“They changed the scope of the program from a regular certified after school program to what is a drop in program where they are not allowed to assist kids with home work anymore and can only do one activity per day,” said one irate parent source.
At the same time, the city’s Parks Department, which manages the recreation center cut the hours from 10 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday to 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday through Saturday.
Recreation Center sources said the desertification led to a drop in the number of students who utilize the center. In particular the loss of homework help and more limited use of the computer lab has led many parents who have their children in charter schools to look for other after school programs, sources said.
The City’s Parks Department defended the move saying there aren’t enough kids in the after school program to justify its continued existence.
“In order to maximize the use of the space, the decision was made to change the after school program at Von King to a drop-in program. Enrollment in after school at Von King averaged about 8 children a day. In its new format, the single service program will focus on a different theme each day, including academics and arts,” said Parks Department spokesperson Meghan Lalor.
Lalor added. “We have a project in design to reconstruct the multipurpose room at the Center.”
But parents who have utilized the center for generations say the Parks Department is playing with the numbers
“My son, Malachi is the recipient of the 2014 Rising Star Award held annually at the center, and there’s well over 20 children who regularly attend there after school,” said Cassandra Townsley, a lifelong Bed-Stuy resident.
“If the cut is due to under utilization then someone is playing with the numbers and that’s inaccurate That center is rich with the arts and its been our arts center for years and it’s really disturbing. It’s all about falsifying numbers and I think it’s wrong,” she added.
Parents and workers said they have been complaining about the situation to City Councilman Robert Cornegy.
Cornegy said he is aware of the situation and working on resolving any problems, but reserved comment until he meets with Brooklyn Borough Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey.
Cornegy said he will be meeting with Jeffrey in less than two weeks.
