Special recognition was given on March 8, 2026, to all those who helped create the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center, Brooklyn’s newest and largest recreation center, located in East Flatbush at 3105 Farragut Place.

“We are in the presence of something extraordinary right now, and I want to thank all the elected officials in this room who fought for and advocated for this,” former Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “But a special thank you to Farah Louis because throughout this whole process, if I saw Farah anywhere, she brought this up to try to make this happen.”

Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher expressed similar sentiments about how District 45 Councilmember Louis “schooled” him by insisting on a fully equipped state-of-the-art facility with de Blasio’s support to make it happen. 

Public Advocate and former District 45 Councilmember Jumaane Williams spoke about how long it took for the idea to come to fruition over a decade ago, when he and Louis, his staff member at the time, worked together with community members and local stakeholders to begin the process from the seed of an idea for the recreation center.

Williams got the idea in the aftermath of the police-involved shooting and death of 16-year-old Kimani Gray in 2013, and from talking to at-risk youth on the streets who had nowhere else to go.

Louis, in partnership with Williams, de Blasio, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the city’s Department of Design and Construction hosted the event that brought together local leaders, residents, community stakeholders and Shirley Chisholm’s family members to celebrate the center named in honor and commemoration of Brooklyn-born trailblazer Shirley Chisholm. She was the first Black woman of Barbados and Guyanese roots who was elected to Congress in 1968 and sought the presidential office in 1972.

“Shirley was truly a trailblazer who was unbossed, unbought and unapologetic in her commitment to justice,” Louis said. 

Louis spoke of other women who demanded accountability for voting rights, noting that the same fight is alive today in her with every resource request and decision she makes within her district.

The center officially opened on Feb. 9. It operates on four levels, which include a gym, lockers, pool, pool balcony, walking track and rooms for spin and stretch, cardio, strength, dance, afterschool and teen care and multipurpose use. There is also a teaching kitchen, media lab and audio-video mixing room.

The center is low-cost and free for anyone under the age of 24. It serves 41,000 people in the area.

Attending dignitaries who also received recognition or gave remarks included Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn; Assemblymember Monique Chandler-Waterman; Assemblymember Kalman Yeger; Deputy Borough President Kim Council; Assembly 42 District Leader Josue Pierre; Councilmember and Assembly 58 District Leader Mercedes Narcisse; DDC Assistant Commissioner Lucy Wong; NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura; Consigli Construction Project Executive Patrick Bronner; Community Board 17 District Manager Sherif Fraser; Debbie Louis, representing Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office; Barbados and Guyana Consul representatives; faith, education and community partners; tenant associations; civic leaders; and residents. 

DDC also received many praises from all for how well they completed their work in a short period of time.

Wong was especially proud of the fact that trailblazer Chisholm had a building named after her that was also a trailblazer in design and construction.

It is the first public building to meet new LEED v4 Platinum standards for environmental sustainability.

“Every young person who comes through here will receive a message, just when they walk in the door; no one will have to say a word,” de Blasio said. “They will receive a message that they are valued, they are respected, they are so important to our community and our future, just walking in will reinforce that they are loved and supported.”