PRESS RELEASE - Mayor Secures $1 Mil. Grant for Community Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

January 14, 2021

Contact socialmedia@upperdarby.org 

REINVESTMENT DELIVERED: MAYOR KEFFER SECURES $1 MILLION GRANT TO FUND PHASE ONE OF UPPER DARBY COMMUNITY CENTER 

UPPER DARBY, PA — Mayor Barbarann Keffer is pleased to announce a $1 million award to fund Phase One of building a state-of-the-art Upper Darby Community Center. This award underscores Mayor Keffer’s commitment to reinvest in Upper Darby and to revitalize and engage with diverse communities and residents of all ages. 

“Now more than ever, our kids need a safe place to play and learn after school,” said Mayor Keffer. “This center represents a critical - and long overdue - step for our community. It will send the signal that Upper Darby is on the move as a forward-looking destination community for families and businesses alike.”

The funding for the project comes from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a state grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. The project is currently in the feasibility phase, and the new center would replace the current multi-purpose center located at 7000 Walnut Street. Architecture firm Buell Kratzer Powell has created a preliminary exterior rendering of the facility. 

“We are incredibly thankful to all of the elected officials and community groups who believe, as I do, that Upper Darby deserves a state-of-the-art recreation and learning facility. When you give people tools and opportunities, the possibilities for what that can achieve are endless,” Mayor Keffer continued. “From after-school tutoring to computer access to urban farming, adult education, and physical fitness, this center will serve as a catalyst for our business district and a springboard for whatever our individual residents can imagine. We look forward to working together with the community to create the best center possible.” 

The Mayor’s belief in the Community Center dates back to her earliest days as a Councilperson and recalls her own history as an all-Catholic League basketball player at Cardinal O’Hara. Her efforts to establish a Community Center received strong support from Upper Darby Township Council and State Senator Tim Kearney, as well as community members across the education, religious, and business sectors. The Upper Darby School Board, Delaware County Parks & Recreation, the Cobbs Creek West Community Association, and the Bywood Community Association also support this endeavor. 

Upper Darby is Pennsylvania’s sixth-largest municipality, and Mayor Keffer is committed to revamping its parks, neighborhoods, and public facilities. Elected in 2019, Mayor Keffer has focused her efforts on reform, revitalization, and reinvestment into Upper Darby. Keffer is also working to make the community more inclusive and grow it as a regional leader for families and businesses.  

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