BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Officials say the Inspiration Center will serve as a place to engage with the youth and help families in Baton Rouge.
The center, which BREC said was modeled after other similar facilities in other states, will be constructed at Howell Community Park. The building will be funded using private donations and a $5 million contribution from the state capital outlay budget, according to BREC.
“Our goal is to use sports, entertainment, mentorship, and education to motivate more positive outcomes in the 70805 area,” said BREC Superintendent Corey Wilson. “Working together, we will provide a one-stop shop for wrap-around family services, compile data to help partnering agencies better serve residents, create a better relationship with law enforcement, and instill community pride through events.”
Inspiration Center will be built in partnership with the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation, the State of Louisiana, East Baton Rouge Parish, the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Louisiana, and BREC.
“Racine, Wisconsin experienced a 70-percent reduction in violent crime in the area surrounding their first center and all of the cities we have researched show reduced calls for service by law enforcement, lower recidivism rates, improved police/community relations, better access to services for youth, family education and employment service providers and more data about the impact of programs on the service area,” said Clay Young, chairman of the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation.
The new space will include a football field, basketball gym, game rooms, video game arena, recording studio bays, reading labs, computer labs, meeting spaces and space for local and state providers, a cafeteria, and law enforcement officer room, BREC said.
There was a groundbreaking for the center on Tuesday, April 25.
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