By Cyan Thomas
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved a motion Wednesday to provide an additional $74,000 to Cahill Recreation Center to remove asbestos and other materials.
Cahill Recreation Center, located off Clinton Avenue, previously was granted an undisclosed amount of funds on Aug. 30, 2019, to begin renovations on the facilities. However, additional money was granted to provide construction workers with the means to remove the hazardous materials from the site.
“This request is necessary for removal and disposal of asbestos containing chalkboards and mastic materials found behind numerous mirrors in the existing center,” Board President Brandon Scott’s memo said.
Asbestos is a carcinogen that can cause lung cancer when inhaled, making it a health hazard for visitors to the popular establishment, officials said. The center will be torn down and a new one will be built with various upgrades.
“The design of the facility was inspired by its natural setting and is intended to encourage users to engage with nature,” an architect working on the renovations said. “From nearly every space within the building there are both views to the exterior and also activities directed toward the exterior.”
The new acting city solicitor, Dana Moore, was determined to see more improvements to the city of Baltimore like Cahill’s renovations.
“It’s 2020,” Moore said. “Baltimore is up against so many challenges, and we just want to keep moving forward.”
The center, previously believed to have been complete by the end of 2019, is now expected to be finished by the end of 2020.