Much more than a pool, by Katherine Rivard

Where can you take part in a seasonal billiards tournament, practice your boxing skills, enroll your child in a free after-school program, and find a puppeteer’s workshop? Well, if you answered the “Red Hook Recreation Center,” you’re already in the know. The Center, one of eight recreation centers run by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation in Brooklyn, is one of Red Hook’s most expansive community resources.

Located on Bay Street between Henry Street and Clinton Street, the Red Hook Recreation Center is surrounded by brand new sports fields and walking paths lined with wildflowers. It offers locals everything from free childcare to an array of community events, all at a price that most can afford. While the average gym membership costs hundreds of dollars per year, annual adult memberships at the Rec Center cost between $100 and $150, with senior citizens paying just $25 per year. Anyone 24 years old or and younger may use the Center for free. Luckily, limited fees do not result in limited hours. While closed on Sunday, the Center is open Monday through Friday from 6am to 8:30pm and from 8am to 10pm on Saturdays.

Many Brooklynites are familiar with the Center’s pool, a popular destination each summer. However, all year long the Rec Center offers members a full gym with numerous weight machines, free weights, mats, treadmills, and ellipticals. The “strength room” itself is dated, with chipping paint, worn floors, and machines that sometimes need maintenance, but–aesthetics aside–the size of the room and quantity of machines make it a great place to learn how to weight train or to keep in shape. For both newbies and seasoned exercisers, longtime trainer Angel Roman presides over the strength room each day between 6am and noon, ready to support anyone interested in learning more about weight lifting or how to get in shape. In addition to the strength room, adults can take part in classes like senior dance workouts and high interval training. In the afternoon, adults can be found playing pickleball in the gym, and some members have formed their own groups focused on activities ranging from Muay Thai to boxing.

Opportunities for youth to learn a new skill or sport are even more plentiful. A free after-school program for students ages 7-12 includes an hour of homework help followed by programmed activities with the Center’s staff. The students take part in everything from arts and crafts to activities in the media lab to field trips. In 2023, field trips included destinations like an ice skating rink and a Disney play. Given the demand for childcare, the Center has expanded its services to provide a toddler program for younger children, which comes in addition to the Center serving as a place for high school students to volunteer or simply hang out with friends. Organized programs for kids also include a Junior Knicks basketball league, soccer, flag football, and even an anime club.

According to Deputy Center Manager Jamaal Lavan, one of the Red Hook Recreation Center’s many strengths is its community events: “We throw the best parties.” Last month, the Center hosted its annual holiday event and handed out around 800 donated toys. In November, they ran a successful clothing drive and turkey give-away, thanks to support from the local CTown Supermarkets and Council Member Alexa Avilés. Just the month before, the staff created a Halloween haunted house that was scary enough to spook even adult visitors. Now, the staff is beginning to prepare for an arts gala in late February. The vision is to bring together artists, students, and the community for an evening of learning and art.

Perhaps even more impressive than the number of programs offered by the Center are the ongoing projects to physically improve it. Rather than relying solely on city funding, the Red Hook Recreation Center has worked to forge connections with local businesses and community members to receive well-deserved donations. Thanks to a grant from Amazon, the Center’s media lab is being renovated and will re-open this month with new computers, flat screen televisions, and a sound recording booth that members can use for free. Meanwhile, Ikea is generously donating appliances and furniture to brighten up the Center’s room for teens—a perfect spot for teens to hang out in a safe environment.

“What happens to a dream / deferred?” begins the Langston Hughes poem hung on a bulletin board in the teen hangout room. Ironically, community members at the Center can worry a bit less than most about dreams deferred, thanks to the encouragement and coaching they receive from staff and other members at the Red Hook Recreation Center. For anyone looking to start a fitness journey or to make new friends and connections in 2024, a visit to the Rec Center may get you one step closer to achieving your goals.