Recreation Center Renamed, Fund Established to Honor Atkinsons

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The recreation center in the city’s Arlington Heights neighborhood has a new name.

The center has been renamed the Richard W. and Eugenia C. Atkinson Recreation Center in honor of the late Richard W. Atkinson, a former Youngstown board of education president and City Council member, and Eugenia Atkinson, retired director of the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority.

“These are two individuals whose names belong on a building – and especially a building like this,” Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said. “Like the late Mr. Atkinson, Mrs. Atkinson has been a lifelong champion of our city and all its residents, and particularly the young people who enjoy our parks and recreation centers. It’s an honor for us to demonstrate our appreciation in this way for the Atkinson family and its legacy of community service.”

In acknowledgement and appreciation of the honor, the Atkinson family has established the Richard W. and Eugenia C. Atkinson Fund, the first grant fund to be established by an African American family in the 106-year history of The Youngstown Foundation.

The fund has been initiated with a contribution from the Atkinson family and is accepting additional donations. The family plans to make annual contributions to the fund.

“The Richard W. and Eugenia C. Atkinson Fund is an exciting new opportunity for thoughtful giving by any individual or organization who shares the Atkinson family’s love for parks, recreation centers and children’s activities,” said Lynnette H. Forde, president of The Youngstown Foundation. “We’re very excited that the family is providing resources to support these very important facilities and creating a path for others to join them.” 

Richard Atkinson, who died in February, was a lifelong member of the community. He served as a member and president of the board of education and councilman for the city’s 3rd Ward. He also served as president of the North Side Citizens Coalition and board chair for the Mahoning/Youngstown Community Action Program. He served on the boards of the St. Elizabeth Hospital Development Foundation, the District XI Area Agency on Aging, Goodwill Industries Housing, Girl Scouts of Mahoning Valley and Youngstown Area Urban League. He also was a longtime deacon at Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Eugenia Atkinson retired from the YMHA in 2007 after more than 20 years with the agency, last serving as its executive director. Among her accomplishments was the planning and development of The Homes of Arlington Heights, a public housing development that now features more than 200 homes, including modern owner-occupied townhouses, rental units, a park and the recreation center. It replaced Westlake Terrace, a series of 1940s-era barracks-style brick apartments. In addition to her role at YMHA, Atkinson also served as a member and chair of the board of trustees at Youngstown State University and as a director of Home Savings Bank and its parent company, United Community Financial Corp.

“We want to express our deepest gratitude to the city of Youngstown, for the incredible honor of renaming the center in recognition of our parents,” Najuma and Omari Anderson said in a statement. “It’s our hope that the establishment of this fund will continue to inspire future generations in the city they both served and so dearly loved.”

Pictured at top: Eugenia Atkinson, second from right in the center row, was among those in attendance for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 26 to celebrate the renaming of the center.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.