PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A new recreation center is nearly complete in the Southside Newtown area of Portsmouth, and its founder said the goal is to give kids a safe place to go — especially as the city deals with ongoing gun violence concerns.
Big H.O.M.I.E.S. founder Eugene Swinson said the 11,000-square-foot facility on Lincoln Street is on track to open soon.
"The completion date is actually mid-October," Swinson said.
See previous coverage: Portsmouth nonprofit Big H.O.M.I.E.S. breaks ground on $3 million Southside youth recreation center
The nearly $3 million building broke ground in March. Swinson said the center is designed to serve the entire city, but its location was chosen with the surrounding neighborhoods in mind.
"I'm pretty sure with it being an indoor gym in here, it'll serve the whole city, but the purpose of us landing in this specific spot is because of the neighborhoods it surrounds," Swinson said.
Swinson said children need a safe space when they are out of school.
"Somewhere that they can be a kid, somewhere that they can play freely or do ever freely without worrying about being caught in any crossfires and being caught in any neighborhood stuff that they have nothing to do with," Swinson said.
The new rec center comes as the city deals with another act of gun violence. Tuesday morning, Portsmouth police responded to shots fired on Griffin Street — not far from Westhaven Elementary School. Neighbors said it sounded like dozens of shots, but police say nobody was injured. Some neighbors declined to speak on camera, saying they feared for their safety.
School in Portsmouth starts Monday Aug. 24.
In addition to serving as a safe haven for kids and others in the community, Swinson said the center will also include a food pantry.
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