Monday, August 10, 2009

Evergreen Child Care Center Opens!

It was my pleasure today to celebrate the grand opening of the Evergreen Child Care Center in Boyle Heights and to commemorate the official dedication of the Willy Corona Multipurpose Room. Willy Corona was a great man who is sorely missed in the community. When I was a young kid playing baseball at Evergreen Park, Willy motivated me to do well in sports, as well as life. He was a great coach to me and countless other kids in the community. When I became Councilmember, lots of parents and community members told me about the importance and need for the Evergreen Child Care Center. At the time, the area was little more than a pile of dirt. The Evergreen Child Care Center had not been built, even though it was approved and planned. I worked with the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Bureau of Engineering and secured about $3.13 million in funding. After the state froze funding because of the budget shortfall, I worked with our departments to find the additional funding needed to complete this worthwhile project, which will benefit the children in our community for years to come. And there is nothing more fitting than to see Willy Corona’s name in a roomful of children who will be inspired by his work in the community.