By Grant Bridges
Pensacola is set to receive a $9.5 million state grant to renovate the Fricker Resource Center, a facility that has historically served the city’s Black community. The concerns of gentrification and the rapidly changing Pensacola cityscape have led many residents to speak about the matter.
- In an interview, community leader Haley Morrissette said, “The Fricker Center is a staple in our community, you will hear a lot of people tell stories about hanging out there, playing basketball there, being a part of the programs that they have.”
She added, “So it came out of left field for a lot of people when they were learning that they were planning renovations.”
Background: A community organizer since 2014, Morrissette served as a regional organizer with Dream Defenders and works with the 850 Civic Crew. She ran as a Democrat for Florida House District 2 in 2024 and describes herself as a “trusted advocate.” She currently serves as the Director of Operations for Overflow Health Alliance, a nonprofit that provides holistic services to underserved and uninsured populations.
- The grant to renovate the Fricker Center comes from Florida’s Department of Commerce’s Rebuild Florida Program. The aim of these funds is to prevent or reduce the damage from potential future disasters.
Skepticism
During a District 7 Town Hall with Councilman Delarian Wiggins last month, Mayor D.C. Reeves touted the renovations as “the largest single investment in the history of the City of Pensacola into one community center.”
The planned renovation has been met with skepticism from some residents. In a July 23 community engagement meeting, resident Jermaine Williams said, “I’ve never seen the city of Pensacola dump $9 million into the Black community.”
- He also attended the August town hall, asking for District 7 residents to have seats at the table. Speaking directly to Mayor Reeves and Councilman Wiggins, Williams said, “I propose that y’all have an oversight committee, at least put some of us in there… some of us in this district that have been here for years.”
Morrissette understands William’s position. She explained, “What the crux of the problem is, that in the past, when money gets poured into an area, it’s to prepare for other people moving in rather than the people that stay there.”
Malcolm Yonge Gym
The demolition of the Malcolm Yonge gym contributes to those concerns. Morrissette said, “Malcolm Yonge and the way that happened is really what pushed people to have a huge distrust in our current government and our current leadership.”
- Background: The Malcolm Yonge Gym was demolished in March 2024 after being declared structurally unsafe. Mayor Reeves is working with Pensacola Habitat for Humanity and the Community Land Trust to build affordable housing on the site.
Morrisette believes more transparency is needed to rebuild trust with District 7 residents.
“We have asked for programming for teenagers, we want to make sure it has an enhanced senior facility,” she said. “If he [Mayor Reeves] greenlights a pickleball court at the Fricker Center, we’ll know he wasn’t thinking about the Black community — we have enough pickleball courts.”
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