Statement On Scotland Community Center

Early in my tenure on the Council, I, along with the County Executive and many of my colleagues on the Council made a promise to the residents of the Scotland Community to support and fund the renovation of the Scotland Community Center. It was a promise to renovate the center so that the children and residents of this historic, underserved, African –American community may enjoy access to safe, healthy, and productive activities and programs. I gave my word to support this project and plan on honoring that word.

On the evening of February 25th, 2008, I had the pleasure of attending a meeting at the Scotland Community Recreation Center where I reiterated my commitment to the Scotland community. After personally touring the community center, I can attest to the need for a larger gym, a meeting room, a larger computer lab, and an expanded, modernized exercise room. I am also keenly aware that the residents of this neighborhood have been waiting patiently for over a decade for their community center to be renovated and improved.

Fortunately, the residents of Scotland are not alone in their fight to obtain the funding needed to renovate the community center. Present at the February 25th meeting were principals, teachers, counselors, and PTA members from the neighborhood public schools, numerous residents of Scotland, and dozens of members of Action in Montgomery, a grassroots organization comprised of faith–based groups in Montgomery County. In that crowded meeting room, people gathered as one community to bring energy and focus to a need that has been overlooked for far too long. It was with great pleasure that I was able to reaffirm my commitment to fund the renovation of this community center in the fiscal year 2009 – 2014 capital budget.

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