Neighbors frustrated over West Mill Creek Rec Center not being open to children and turned sprinklers off

WEST PHILADELPHIA -  Neighbors are frustrated over West Mill Creek Rec Center not being open to children.

"It's 90 degrees on a Monday. You can’t stand out here without sweating," said Antwann Postell. That's exactly what kids in this West Philly neighborhood are doing because they don't have access to the West Mill Creek Rec Center in their neighborhood.

"All we need is the center to be open.  We don't need nothing else. We don't need money or nothing else," said Postell. 

On Monday, when FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson stopped by Antwann showed her the doors were locked and on a steamy day the sprinklers were off.  Some of the neighborhood children walked six blocks to Mill Creek Rec Center which has sprinklers, a pool and an open building.  But not here.

“The building should be open in the summertime from I believe 11 to 9. Our building might open one or two hours out of a day and that's on a good day," said Antwann.  9-year-old Hope Lee came out with her brother Daniel after spending much of the day inside playing on her grandmother's cell phone.

"I'd rather been out here having some fun. It's boring sitting inside the house all the time," said Hope. 

We contacted Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.  While we were there a supervisor who neighbors said had been there for a short time earlier returned.  I asked if she could turn on the sprinklers she said of course but that she couldn't talk to the media.  But she kept her word.  The building opened and the sprinklers came on.  Dynita Teachey was excited to bring out her 1-year-old son King.

"When it's not available and it's really hot it's sad for the kids because they don’t want to sit in the house all day and there's nothing else for them to do," she said.  

Antwann says nothing else to do can lead to crime

"That's what causes them young to people to resort to violence. They say idle time is the devil's playground. More than likely if you came out here tomorrow or the rest of the week the sprinklers won't be on either," he said. 

Parks and Recreation sent the following statement: "We had a meeting with community members on site this morning and discussed the issues they presented and will work towards resolving them ASAP."