Cheltenham Township officials are expecting construction for the revamped La Mott Community Center to begin in spring 2026, with a reopening planned for spring/summer 2027, according to a Fall 2025 Cheltenham Update newsletter.
The center closed its operations in December 2022 due to maintenance concerns with the building. From the township’s website:
Due to the deteriorating physical condition of the aging infrastructure, inoperable mechanical systems, inability to meet current building code and Federal ADA requirements, the La Mott Community Center is now only capable of serving the public in a very limited manner.
Prior to its shutdown, the facility featured a full indoor basketball court, playground, a supervised summer playground program, a summer teen enrichment program, year-round indoor recreational and educational programs, senior citizen programs, various health programs, and a playing field.
In February, the La Mott Community Center Restoration Rehabilitation Project’s final renovation design and request for proposals was approved by the Finance Committee and Board of Commissioners at a cost of $6.6 million. A presentation of cost proposals to the Finance Committee can be found here.
In March 2024, Congresswoman Madeleine Dean announced $3,828,500 in funding for the project. Cheltenham has since received an additional $1 million for improvements to the Rowland Community Center and $450,000 for improvements to the Public Works Facility, the update said, noting that the township “is performing serious financial analyses and projections to plan for facilities improvements, and has initiated the borrowing process to ensure that plans can continue to move forward.”
La Mott Community Center was featured by USA Today in May 2023. The Elkins Park facility, which is located on Willow and Sycamore Avenues, is one of 16 facilities in the Township in disrepair.
For more information on the township’s Community Centers, you can visit this website.
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Photos: Cheltenham Township