PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A shuttered church in Tioga is now a safe haven for its community. A Philadelphia man has re-created the space into somewhere kids can avoid the violence that plagues their neighborhood.
Curtis DeVeaux, owner and founder of City Athletics Philly, did what some in the community thought impossible: He transformed an empty church into a modern recreation center in the heart of the struggling neighborhood.
“We have basketball, indoor soccer, we host community meetings and we look for ways to use it as a platform to impact the surrounding neighborhood,” said DeVeaux.
A father of five, DeVeaux said the example his grandmother set for him in his youth inspired him to take on the challenge.
“I grew up in a neighborhood where we played outside, and different street games," he said, "and my grandmother would organize activities. So I definitely grew up with that — how the power of the community could have positive impacts.”
So he began working with other young people at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center in the city's Graduate Hospital neighborhood, which gave him a greater purpose.
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“Through that experience, the sense of selflessness was really infectious,” said DeVeaux. “Caused me to dig deep and be committed and understand that, in order to impact youth, you have to not just be in the community but to be a part of the community.”
The space at 1901 Tioga Street is also the hub for City Athletics Community Partners, a nonprofit that facilitates camps, physical fitness activities, sports and leadership training. The center is also hosting a uniform drive for local schools.
City Athletics Philly is open seven days a week starting at 6 a.m.
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