Residents of the South Side’s Villa Coronado are raising concerns over the prolonged closure of the Father Roman Community Center, which has been shuttered since October. Frustration has peaked among the locals, as little to no information regarding the center's fate has been provided by city officials. The community center, essential for local youth programming, was closed following a city employee’s report of "interior cracks and shifting in the gym," according to a statement to the San Antonio Report by parks department spokeswoman Connie Swann.
The stir among residents was evident at a recent neighborhood meeting. Olga Martinez, president of the Villa Coronado Neighborhood Association, expressed her exasperation over the city’s scant communication. "I just want to communicate. Tell me what's going on with the building. It's not me who needs it. It's the kids," Martinez told the San Antonio Report. Despite reaching out to the City Council District 3 office and the Parks and Recreation Department, their responses have been vague at best, with promises to "update" her without specifics.
Amidst these concerns, the Parks and Recreation Department has tried to adjust operations by relocating youth programs previously held at the center. However, the alternatives provided are not easily accessible to all community members. This has led to youth activities being conducted in whatever spaces are available, including outdoors under less than ideal conditions. For instance, a city employee supervising a Spurs Youth Basketball League event noted that games normally held indoors were forced to move to outdoor courts due to the closure.
Swann indicated that the city has attempted to keep the public informed through various channels, including social media and the council office's website, where the statement, "Closed for maintenance," is posted. Yet, such notices have done little to soothe the community's anxieties. As Martinez continues to press for direct answers, concerned about the long-term impact on neighborhood children if programs can't resume as before. "People are calling me, [but] what do I tell them? I just tell them, 'No one wants to tell me.' So they [neighbors] just think the worst," she said.
The city has not provided a firm timeline for when the assessment will conclude or when a definitive plan of action regarding the center will be announced. Community engagement and proper city processes will be part of the plan once next steps are identified, asserted the Parks and Recreation Department. Meanwhile, anxious residents like Martinez await concrete news and remain hopeful for the center's future, questioning whether it will be renovated, demolished, or rebuilt. As programs scatter and the building stands in uncertain silence, the South Side community is left to grapple with the implications of a gathering place lost, and with it, a touchstone of their neighborhood’s unity and vibrancy.
