Mayor Andy Berke wants a bigger and better Youth and Family Development center for Avondale.
On Thursday, Berke shared details with a gathering of residents and officials at the center, stating he was willing to put $6 million toward building a brand-new facility that would double the square footage of the current site. The current center at the corner of Wilcox Boulevard and Dodson Avenue was built in 1949, and its last major renovation was in 2002.
“We’re more focused than ever before on making sure that young people in our communities succeed and that learning is a huge part of their lives,” Berke said. “We are investing in Avondale because we believe in Avondale.”
Chattanooga’s Youth and Family Development centers provide educational, recreational, leadership development and social service opportunities, and make use of local, state and federal resources.
Plans are for the new center to open in fall 2017, and its funding will be in the 2016-2017 budget proposal.