October 22, 1999: Volume 47, Number 7

Kenney Community Center Established on Park Place

The College and the City of Schenectady on Tuesday announced plans to allocate most of a $1 million gift from a local alumnus toward the establishment of a community center within the College Park neighborhood at 257 Park Place, the former Alps Grill.

The facility will be called the Ralph and Marjorie Kenney Center, in memory of Ralph Kenney, a 1929 Union graduate. In June, his widow, Marjorie Kenney of Delmar, donated $1 million to the College with the understanding that the funds benefit Union and the City of Schenectady.

"The Ralph and Marjorie Kenney Center will play a vital role in the revitalization of the College Park neighborhood," Hull said. "It's wonderful to have the spouse of a Union alum who shares my view that, whether individually or institutionally, we all have an obligation to contribute to make Schenectady a better place to live. This facility, and in a much broader sense, the US Initiative, are tremendous assets for both the City and Union."

The Kenney Center, scheduled for completion by January 2000, will feature health and wellness workshops sponsored by Ellis and St. Clare's hospitals; Schenectady-based Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region will provide programs for young women.

A primary feature of the new facility will be the Homework Center and Skills Development Program. Staffed by Union students, staff and GE Elfun Society volunteers, the homework program links Union student mentors with children from the Van Corlaer Elementary School to help them prepare for the New York State Pupil Assessment Tests, and encourage them to develop study and learning skills.

About 20 Union students have completed a mentor-training program; they will begin working with children from the College Park neighborhood next week at a temporary location at Union. The Center has received an $8,200 grant from Campus Compact, which is funded by the GE Fund, to support the mentoring program.

Of the $1 million gift, about $600,000 will be used to renovate, furnish, equipand maintain the center. Remaining funds will offset costs of renovations to and the purchase of office equipment and furnishings for the Union satellite Safety and Security Office at 712 Huron St.

The satellite office, to be completed in January, will serve as a post for the College's safety and bike patrol. Officers from the City of Schenectady's bike patrol will also use the facility during neighborhood patrols. Finally, the office will have a waiting area for students waiting to board the Union College shuttle service.

The Kenney gift adds to donations from Fleet Financial Group to the Community Center; Fleet gifts to the Center currently total $35,000.

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