Press Release

BUCHANAN ANNOUNCES FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NEWTOWN COMMUNITY CENTER REDEVELOPMENT

Washington, DC -- Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL 13) announced today that the City of Sarasota has been awarded federal funding to assist in the redevelopment of the Robert L. Taylor Community Center in Newtown.  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded the City a $247,500 Economic Development Initiative grant to help renovate and restore the community center. 

“I congratulate the City of Sarasota for winning this important grant,” said Buchanan.  “The Robert L. Taylor Community Center is the most heavily used recreation center in the City.  Most of the facilities are in need of complete renovation or replacement.  Its improvement will provide modern recreation facilities for the youth of Newtown.”

“Through the efforts of Representative Vern Buchanan, the plans to redevelop the Robert L. Taylor Community Center have been greatly enhanced with this Economic Development Initiative appropriation in the amount of $247,500.00,” said Newtown Redevelopment Director John Hawthorne.  “This will assist in providing a state of the art community center, with amenities, that will meet long overdue recreational, social and community service needs across the multi-generational population of the Newtown community.”

The Robert L. Taylor Community Center is the only government sponsored/owned recreation center in Newtown.  The recreation center and its 10 acres of land, including athletic fields and a pool, is the home of the Redskins little league football, a gym, weight room, auditorium, and business offices.