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Plans for New Recreation Center in Hazleton

HAZLETON —  Providing a place to gets kids off the street is part of the plan for a mostly vacant plaza in Hazleton. The Terrace Plaza along South Poplar ...
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HAZLETON --  Providing a place to gets kids off the street is part of the plan for a mostly vacant plaza in Hazleton.

The Terrace Plaza along South Poplar street in Hazleton,  used the be home to the Heritage Fresh Food Market, and a massive Flea Market, but it will soon be home to a new recreation center.

"It's nice because we get o fill up part of the building, it benefit's us and them," said Buddy Nelmes, the Terrace Plaza supervisor.

"Everybody was always going out of Hazleton, nobody was ever coming to Hazleton (for) basketball, baseball, or football. So we decided to apply for a grant and we got it," said James Clement with the Hazleton Area Recreation Program.

A nearly $175,000 grant from state gaming money,will help build the Hazleton Area Recreation Center in the back of the Terrace Plaza.

Plans call for the 20,000 square foot facility to include a fitness center, a turf field with retractable batting cages, and a full wrestling and boxing program.

James Clement is the president of a non-profit boxing club, that started this project.

"We gotten a pretty good response with what you see. We haven't even started yet," added Clement.

"This is going to be a great thing for the community. That's what it is about. Trying to get these children off the streets. Give these kids something to do, outside of running through the drugs and all that stuff out in community," said Keman Jackson who want to be involved with the non-profit recreation center.

The new recreation center is schedule to open by the end of September.

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