The Frederick Douglass Resource and Recreation Center

By Sharon Lewis

The Cleveland Ohio Parks and Recreation Department began in 1871 with the purpose of bringing leisure spaces to a growing population. The development of parks and other leisure spaces inside the city was important, as many of the open spaces were beginning to be used for housing and industry. The initial focus of the Parks and Recreation Department was on adult or family entertainment, such as baseball leagues and concerts. It wasn’t until 1946 that leisure activities were coordinated with the Cleveland Public Schools under a joint Recreation Board and the needs of children were considered. Today, the City of Cleveland’s Division of Parks and Recreation oversees approximately 170 properties. The list includes numerous Resource and Recreation Centers, parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, a greenhouse, a skatepark, a fine arts center, and a golf course.

As one of Cleveland’s newest centers, the Frederick Douglass Resource and Recreation Center, located at 15400 Miles Avenue, is built on what was Frederick Douglass Park, adjacent to the new John F. Kennedy High School. The center is under the direction of Mr. Larry Wilcox and shows an investment in the families of the Lee-Harvard and Miles communities. It is impressive from the minute you walk in the door. On the wall above the registration desk is a picture of Frederick Douglass with this quote: “Without a struggle, there can be no progress.” Just about anyone alive can understand the message. We’ve all struggled to attain a goal or a particular place in life.

A tour of the Center might begin in the art room with Ms. Robinson-Brooks, who teaches sculpture, STEM art, drawing, and jewelry making. There is also a computer room to help with computer literacy, meeting/multipurpose rooms that can be used for public or personal gatherings, and a full kitchen.  There is a room with the sign “Tots Room” to be used for a new program that will start in the fall.

Next, you might head to the swimming pool, through the men’s/women’s locker rooms, which are clean and spacious. The pool area is like a mini Kalahari Water Park. There is a five-lane lap pool for serious swimmers, a kiddie pool with a few inches of water, and a slide/playground-type environment that is both fun and safe. There is space for water aerobics and a “lazy river” that can be used for water walking or riding along on a floatation device.

The center has a gym with an indoor track. The exercise room is full of state-of-the-art equipment: treadmills, elliptical cycles,  stationary bicycles, and Precor machines to work all the major muscle groups. Other activities offered are ballroom dancing, line dancing, chair exercise, and floor aerobics. Youth soccer, baseball, and volleyball programs are also available.

The center will start a Safety Town program this fall to teach children about traffic safety. If you have a budding entertainer in the family, they can audition to become a part of Showagon. Showagon teaches singing, dancing, and performance skills to youth who then travel around the city putting on shows.

The next stop would be the outdoor space. Behind the rec center are two baseball diamonds, a covered pavilion, and a playground. Brian Sullivan, the Recreation Instructor at Frederick Douglass, has worked in youth sports for 17 years and truly enjoys the work. He says that it does not feel like work. His goals go beyond teaching sports skills and rules, and include teaching people to be “responsible, righteous, and aware of their actions.” His coworker says that she has seen him change children’s lives for the better. Picture a humble man with quite a power, shaping the minds and hearts of his charges.

There is resource information on jobs, financial literacy programs (offered by the Cleveland Public Library), charter schools in the area, resources for pregnant teens, and a program to help the recently released from incarceration get their lives back on track called Time Done Day.

This is all just a sample of what the Frederick Douglass Resource and Recreation Center has to offer. If you want to be a part of something good, visit, register to be a member, volunteer some of your time and skills, or simply partake in what Frederick Douglass Resource and Recreation Center offers.