The 100-year-old Grays Ferry-based facility is in immediate need for Rebuild
The Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department announced Vare Recreation Center, 2600 Morris St., has closed for the foreseeable future due to serious concerns about the structural integrity of the 100-year-old facility.
The department made the decision to close the facility after receiving information about the compromised integrity of the building from a structural engineering firm hired by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to evaluate the facility. Vare’s outdoor spaces, including the playground and ball fields, will remain open and accessible, and continue to be permitted by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation staff.
“The extensive capital improvement needs at Vare Recreation Center underscore the immediate need for Rebuild. Vare is one of our city’s most active recreation centers and a critical resource in an extremely underserved community,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement. “Through Rebuild, we will be addressing decades of under-investment in our parks, recreation centers and libraries. Instead of being forced to deal with situations like Vare, our neighborhoods will have thriving facilities that will serve Philadelphians for generations to come.”
Parks and Recreation staff are working to relocate Vare’s many youth and adult programs to alternative sites within the Parks and Recreation system. Parents are being notified of the scheduling and location changes. Parks and Recreation will share additional information and plans as they become available.
