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The Gaucho's New Home in Harlem - Almost A Reality

Life in many parts of the city revolves around the community center, a place that is off-the-streets but not off-limits.

The center can be a place where youngsters will find adults who are accessible, warm and welcoming; a place where a lot of growing up can be done; a place where individual effort can become part of a greater whole - the team.

The former Filmways studio on East 127th Street will soon be that sports-oriented "community center" for thousands of youngsters in Harlem, East Harlem, as well as the Bronx. Working drawings are in process, and construction will start in March 1980, with November the target date for completion.

This center will be a safe gathering place, the first year-round basketball facility in New York City that is not part of a parent institution, where several thousand boys and girls will always be welcome. In addition to a college-size, exhibition quality court for youth tournaments with a seating capacity of 1,000, that can be used as a practice court as required, there will be other courts suitable for intramural competitions and team practice. There will also be locker and shower facilities for boys and girls, coaches and officials; a fully-equipped exercise room; offices; meeting rooms, and a lounge.

The life of the center transcends basketball: there will be a full-time guidance counselor; both paid and volunteer tutors and extensive tutorial and remedial programs; and a well-stocked library and study rooms, because the program's philosophy stresses the importance of education in addition to athletic prowess and physical fitness. In fact, ample space has been allocated for future expansion of the educational and leadership development programs.

The center has been designed for durability and flexibility, so that all programs can grow and develop according to need, and for organized supervision by the recreational staff. But most of all, it has been designed to answer the need for an alternative to the streets, where dreams are routinely shattered. It will be a place where all those in the program, their families, friends, and neighbors can come to enjoy basketball and receive educational assistance and guidance counseling in a pleasant, friendly environment conducive to personal growth.

The program's new home will serve the community in countless ways.

[[image 1]]
[[caption]] Mr. and Mrs. Walter Haiman [[/caption]]
[[image 2]]
[[caption]] Sandy Sadler; Kid Gavilan, Georgeana Bronfman and Louis Fugazy [[/caption]]

[[image 3]]
[[caption]] Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano [[/caption]]

[[image 4]]
[[caption]] Rocky Graziano [[/caption]]

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Transcription Notes:
[[4 images]] [[image 1 - photograph of Mr and Mrs Walter Haiman]] [[image 2 - photograph of four people Sandy Sadler,Kid Gavilan, Georgeana Bronfman and Louis Fugazy]] [[image 3 - phtograph of Tony Zale and Rocky Graziano after a boxing match]] [[image 4 - photograph of Rocky Graziano at boxing match]]