PHILADELPHIA – On Thursday, March 27th, Rebuild Philadelphia, City Officials, Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. (4th District), the William Penn Foundation, Nicetown CDC, and community members celebrated the groundbreaking of the Shepard Recreation Center located in Haddington. The rec center will receive a transformative $17-million investment made possible by the City’s Rebuild program, a historic capital investment of over $500 million in 72 neighborhood parks, recreation centers, and libraries across Philadelphia.
“Recreation centers are vital community resources for all, but most importantly, they operate as a second home for our young people,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “The revitalized Shepard Recreation Center is another example of how residents can seem to touch and feel City services, and of our commitment to their safety and an investment in their potential.”
“Quality recreation centers in Philadelphia provide pathways to college campuses, good health, and a better quality of life for its residents,” said Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. (4th District). “Inner-city youth should experience great facilities like their suburban counterparts do.”
To revitalize Shepard, the existing 11,000-square-foot facility will receive a complete redesign and upgrades to the exterior spaces. Totaling $17.1 million, this project will include:
- A 2,000-square-foot space building addition with an accessible entrance and elevator
- Reconfiguration of interior spaces, including a gym with expanded spectator seating, multi-purpose rooms, a computer lab, exercise rooms, and a boxing amphitheater
- New finishes, lighting, mechanical systems, plumbing, windows and doors, roofing and elevator
- Exterior brick repair
- Environmental abatement
- Refreshed exterior basketball courts
- Enhanced landscaping
- A 1,000-square-foot outdoor performance space
- Restoration of natural grass football field and new goals
“For over 100 years, Shepard Recreation Center has been an essential community hub,” said Aparna Palantino, Director, Capital Program Office. “The updates to come at Shepard will reflect this community’s wants and needs, and the City’s goal of fostering a clean, green, and safe community resource. This project wasn’t just about renovating a building – it’s about reimagining how this space can better serve the Haddington community for the next 100 years.”
“A great facility is only as impactful as the programs and people that bring it to life. With these upgrades, we’re not just improving the space—we’re expanding what’s possible,” said Susan Slawson, Commissioner, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. “Whether it’s sports, arts, technology, or mentorship, we’re committed to making sure Shepard Recreation Center offers high-quality programming that meets the needs of the Haddington community.”
This project received additional funding from the Redevelopment Assistance for Capital Projects program (RACP) totaling $2.35 million, $250,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) awarded to Nicetown CDC, $100,000 from the Philadelphia Eagles, and additional funds through the William Penn Foundation’s historic $100-million gift to the Rebuild program.
“Our support for the Rebuild Initiative was motivated by two things: our belief that high quality public spaces are essential to healthy and thriving communities, and that public space investment decisions should be community informed, and data informed, to achieve more equity in access to them,” said Shawn McCaney, Executive Director, William Penn Foundation. “The new Shepard Recreation Center will be exactly the kind of public space that we had hoped would be an outcome of the Rebuild Initiative.”
Shaped by extensive community engagement and pre-development efforts, the new design will transform the site from an aging facility with underused fields into a vibrant hub for recreation, resources, and programming.
“This investment in the Haddington/Shepard Recreation Center is significant with regards to this historical landmark. The center has hosted Wilt Chamberlain and Dr. Marshall L. Shepard, legends that embody the excellence of this community,” said Zakirayya Abur Rahman, President, Nicetown CDC. “We hope that this gateway to West and Southwest Philly will continue to produce greatness for the constituents who live, work, and play in this sacred space.”
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