Dayton -- For years the Stuart Patterson Recreation Center has been vacant. It use to be a place to go for a lot of kids. In a few months after its quarter million dollar facelift, it will get back to serving those children.
The center started to go down hill around 2010 when it underwent new ownership. Those owners couldn't handle the up keep.
Next month it will be utilized for the Miami Valley Head Start Program.
"We gonna put head start programs in there which is free for the community and it's going to create 18 new jobs," said Islom Shaakhbanarov, from IMTA Consulting Group, LLC.
Islom invested $250,000 into the project. He wanted to enhance his community.
"I know what it means being in difficult conditions so when I get the chance to change it I decided I'm not going to just change for myself but for my entire community," said Shaakhbanarov.
While some of the people who live around the center were pleased with the news, others wished Dayton officials would have asked for the public's opinion.
"I think the city should have kept on to it and I take issue with the way they've conducted their business without the public input," said John Plumer, of Dayton.
The sale does not include the adjacent park. That will continue to be operated by the city of Dayton. It is scheduled to re-open August 21.
The center started to go down hill around 2010 when it underwent new ownership. Those owners couldn't handle the up keep.
Next month it will be utilized for the Miami Valley Head Start Program.
"We gonna put head start programs in there which is free for the community and it's going to create 18 new jobs," said Islom Shaakhbanarov, from IMTA Consulting Group, LLC.
Islom invested $250,000 into the project. He wanted to enhance his community.
"I know what it means being in difficult conditions so when I get the chance to change it I decided I'm not going to just change for myself but for my entire community," said Shaakhbanarov.
While some of the people who live around the center were pleased with the news, others wished Dayton officials would have asked for the public's opinion.
"I think the city should have kept on to it and I take issue with the way they've conducted their business without the public input," said John Plumer, of Dayton.
The sale does not include the adjacent park. That will continue to be operated by the city of Dayton. It is scheduled to re-open August 21.
