A new agreement between the City of Fredericksburg and its public school system will open school gymnasiums and facilities to the public, expanding access to recreation programs for children, teens, and families.
On Tuesday night, City Council unanimously approved a shared-use agreement with Fredericksburg City Public Schools that gives the Parks, Recreation, and Events Department expanded access to school buildings, including the former Walker-Grant School, now Gladys West Elementary.
The agreement allows the city to use the facility from 4 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and weekends for programs ranging from youth athletics to teen engagement initiatives.
“This really opens up an opportunity for us to expand our programming—not only to take care of existing needs and waitlists, but also to reach different audiences, such as teens and after-school activities,” said Todd Brown, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Events.
Brown first floated the idea a year ago when speaking with city leaders. “If I just had a gym, I could do programming from 5 a.m. to midnight,” Brown said, echoing his conversation with Councilor Jannan Holmes.
Mayor Kerry P. Devine praised the agreement, calling it a “great shared use of space” that will put underutilized facilities to work during non-school hours. “It allows the facility to be used more extensively by the public in the after-school hours,” she said. “Our goal is to make sure our teens are occupied in productive ways.”
Councilor Jonathan A. Gerlach reflected on his experience with summer basketball programs and stressed how important they can be in shaping young lives. “Some of us got scholarships to play ball in college. Who knows if we would’ve gotten those opportunities without a summer program?” he said.
Vice-Mayor Charlie L. Frye, Jr. connected the agreement to broader budget concerns. “We’re making moves in the city to take care of what we need to do right now,” he said. “It shows the point that we still need a recreation facility, but this agreement helps bridge the gap.”
Councilors applauded the collaboration between the city and the school division, noting that sharing facilities is a smart way to maximize taxpayer investment without building new infrastructure.
The new Gladys West Elementary School will replace the aging Walker-Grant building as part of a facilities realignment in the city. With younger students not using the gymnasium space in the evenings, the city will now use it to benefit the broader community.
“This is a win-win for Fredericksburg,” said Holmes. “It gives our residents access to more resources and shows what’s possible when departments work together.”
