West Fresno Group Struggles to Save Hinton Center

West Fresno Group Struggles to Save Hinton Center
By Mike Rhodes

West Fresno activists held a press conference today calling attention to the decline of one of the areas only community centers. Members of the Hinton Center Action Community Committee said, in an open letter to mayor Alan Autry, that they are “insulted and dismayed over the manner in which we have been treated by the City Council and certain members of the city staff.”

The letter to Autry continued “we have sought to work with members of the city’s staff and council member Sterling to resolve the loss of our community center from its previous status and position. Our hope is to have a fully functioning facility providing all of its past services to the community and operating in the manner that it had for decades.”

Spokesperson for the group, Robert Mitchell, said at today’s press conference that the group feels disrespected by representatives of the city of Fresno. He cited a meeting that was set up between the group and the City Managers office. The meeting was scheduled for 5 PM. When they arrived at City Hall at 4:45, they received a call cancelling the meeting. Mitchell also cited an incident with Cynthia Sterling that upset the group. “She made a promise to the group that if we did as she directed she would facilitate a meeting to bring about a resolution to this matter. We did as she requested and after doing so we were told there would be no such meeting. We have been thwarted at every step of the way in trying to resolve this matter.”

The group says they are concerned that the City of Fresno is providing inadequate funding to keep the Hinton Center alive as a vital community center in West Fresno. Mitchell says they have tried to work within the system to express their concerns but now feels they must go public to shine a light on this problem.

Mitchell concluded “we have called this press conference to allow all the citizens of Fresno to be aware of what is taking place here and how it is adversely effecting our community.”

The Hinton Center, located in predominantly African American West Fresno, looked in need of repair today. There was a sign on one of the front doors saying it did not work. The other two doors in the front were locked. During the press conference, Mitchell pointed to the empty playground and asked why their were no children there. He believes the City of Fresno is consciously under funding the center. What he wants to know is why.

The Hinton Center Action Community Committee is anxious to volunteer to bring the center back to life. What they are looking for is a sign from the City of Fresno that they are interested in at least talking to them about restoring the center to its previous status.

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