Councilmember Gloria Announces Funding for Sunday Library and Gym Hours

PRESS RELEASE

Councilmember Announces Funding for Sunday Library and Gym Hours
City Heights Library, Performance Annex, and Mid-City Gym Now Open Sundays

SAN DIEGO, CA (July 8, 2011) – Councilmember Todd Gloria today announced that several City Heights facilities will once again be open on Sundays thanks to newly secured funding. The community will now benefit from additional hours at the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library and Performance Annex and the Mid-City Gymnasium.

The Price Family Charitable Fund provided a $40,000 grant to open the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library and Performance Annex on Sundays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. starting this Sunday, July 10, 2011. Sunday hours were eliminated in March 2010 due to the City’s financial hardships.

“Libraries are essential to every community,” said Councilmember Gloria. “By helping bridge the divide between those who have access to information and those who do not, library services are critical, particularly to the community of City Heights where there is a high concentration of lower income households and small businesses.”

In addition to the library grant, the Price Family Charitable Fund contributed $2,430 to the City to fund summer Sunday hours of operation and programming at the Mid-City Gymnasium. The donation will open the gym to the public for three hours each Sunday from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. from June 24 through September 4, 2011.

Councilmember Gloria will extend the hours through June 2012 with a contribution of $8,694 generated through his office budget.

“With budgetary savings produced by my Council office in the previous fiscal year, I am able to direct additional resources to this grossly park-deficient community. This $8,694 contribution will sustain the programming proposed by Price through June 24, 2012,” said Councilmember Gloria.

The Mid-City Gym opened in 1996 as a result of strong community organization and effort. It was part of the first phase of City Heights Urban Village, bringing together in one location a number of opportunities in recreation and education. The additional gym hours and programming will provide individuals of all ages the opportunity to practice good health and fitness in a safe environment.

“Since 1994, the Price Family has contributed to the renaissance of City Heights. I applaud their focus to continually improve housing, shopping options, healthcare, education, social services, public safety, and job opportunities for this diverse neighborhood,” said Councilmember Gloria. “I am thankful and honored to have them as a true partner in the community.”

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