Benton Harbor City Commissioners have voted to apply for a $2.5 million grant to fix up and reopen the Bobo Brazil Community Center. At a Monday meeting, Assistant City Manager Alex Little said the funding opportunity has come up through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Bobo Brazil Center, also known as the Armory, has been closed since 2009. Little said this federal funding would enable the community to serve young people.
“The kinds of programs would be the basketball courts being restored where youths could go in and play basketball,” Little said. “We intend to try to design some programming for elderly citizens to play checkers or do whatever kinds o things they might want to do, some classroom type of stuff, and some other kinds of activities designed for young kids.”
Little said $1 million would be used for capital improvements at the facility at 472 Cass Street. The other $1.5 million would be used for programs to be run by the city for about 2 to three years. Little said that would enable the city to get its bearings and then continue funding programs moving forward. Commissioner Mary Alice Adams said the city should try to make plans for adjacent properties. Commissioners unanimously approved the grant application.
