A $35 million reborn Carousel House rec center planned for West Philly

It’s been three years since the closure of Carousel House.

First, temporarily, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Then, permanently, as a result of deferred maintenance that city officials said made renovations unfeasible at the city’s only recreation center dedicated to people with disabilities.

In 2021, after a street protest that blocked traffic on Belmont Avenue was unsuccessful, it became clear the Carousel House was not going to be saved.

But plans for a new state-of-the-art rec center are finally taking shape — and they are impressive.

Two basketball courts instead of one. A new indoor pool with a zero-entry, accessibility ramp. Bigger locker rooms and bathrooms. More storage space. A computer lab. Arts area. Gym. Sensory room.

Basically, everything that families loved from before will return, and more, according to city officials. The opening of the new facility, however, is likely still a couple of years away.

At a community meeting Tuesday evening, the city unveiled the plans for Carousel House’s rebirth.

Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2024, funded primarily with beverage-tax proceeds. It is the biggest project in the city’s Rebuild program, with a projected cost of $35 million.

“We think that this vision, hopefully, reflects your desires,” Kira Strong, executive director of Rebuild, told an audience of about 50 at the Please Touch Museum, across the street from the shuttered rec center.

» READ MORE: Carousel House families miss their old home, as Philly eyes a new rec center plan for people with disabilities

Since its closure, Carousel House has been at a center of a heated discussion within the disability community in the Philadelphia region.

Families who have been going there for years — in some cases, decades — appreciated having a space reserved primarily for people with cognitive and physical limitations. It had become integral to their lives. They wanted to maintain the status quo at Carousel House.

But disability advocates saw Carousel House, constructed in 1987, as a onetime milestone that had become outdated. They say a single-location model is no longer acceptable. Philadelphia has the highest disability rate among the largest U.S. cities.

Mayor Kenney’s administration sided with advocates wanting change, and is moving forward with a long-term Rec for All inclusion plan, with the goal of making the city’s 150 rec centers suitable to all residents.

The new Carousel House, in line with that approach, will also be open to the entire community.

Lucretia Moye, a retired social work supervisor from Overbrook whose 26-year-old son had been going to Carousel House since he was around 10, said she supported that inclusive approach.

“Our unique community should be part of any community,” Moye said. “I think by having it open to the community it reduces that stigma, that if you have cognitive or physical limitations that you should be treated differently. If you learn to engage with people, it reduces that isolation.”

» READ MORE: Will the closing of Philadelphia’s only rec center for people with disabilities lead to lasting inclusion? | Helen Ubiñas

Dan Fichter, an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who has referred families to Carousel House, said the return of the rec center — particularly with a specially designed pool — would be welcomed by his clients who’ve done aquatic therapy.

“It’s a fun place where they have more freedom,” said Fichter, who attended Tuesday’s meeting. “And the aquatic environment can help with motor skills and can be calming from a sensory input perspective.”

At public pools, Fichter said, there can be barriers to people with disabilities. The water can be difficult to enter or not the right temperature. The space can be too busy. The staff may not be familiar with a person’s specific needs.

“From what I’ve heard from families, it really has been important to have a space and programming that’s specifically and thoughtfully designed for them and their kids with disabilities,” Fichter said.

Joe Kirlin, of South Philadelphia, who has raised funds for wheelchair sports in Philadelphia, is skeptical of the city’s plans. He says the city should have found a way to keep Carousel House open for the time being and prevent wheelchair athletes from having to go to New Jersey to play.

“It’s a real shame,” Kirlin said. “At Carousel House, that was ours. It was great. The staff was specially trained, and kids from all over could go there.”

Kirlin also has concerns about whether the next mayoral administration will follow through with the plans. Mayor Kenney is serving his last year.

“God only knows what’s going to happen when we get a new mayor,” Kirlin said.

But at Tuesday’s meeting, city officials and building designers said they were committed to a rebuilt Carousel House, with a ribbon cutting in 2025. The new rec center would be located on the same site, and preserves parts of the existing building.

“I am personally so jazzed about this and hopefully all of you are as well,” said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “I’m excited to stop talking and start doing.”

People who were not able to attend Tuesday’s meeting can attend a virtual presentation Thursday at 5:30 p.m. More information is available at www.carouselhouserebuild.org.