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The number of world-class sports venues at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens keeps
growing. In early 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg cut
the ribbon on a brand new recreation center here.
It is named in honor of the legendary four-time Olympian discus thrower and Queens native
Al Oerter.
Welcome to the brand new Al Oerter Recreation Center.
We have about 54,000 members that we're servicing. We're just hoping to keep providing opportunity
and programming to reach out to a number of people in this community.
I couldn't wait until they finished it and I'm glad they did.
It's basically top of the line from the equipment down to the amenities.
We have a cardio room. Twenty-seven different machines.
We have a weight room, a computer resource room, 54-inch screens for instruction, multi-purpose
room, an indoor track, gymnasium and a dance studio.
It's a good place to come and enjoy yourself and exercise, which is very important in this
day and age.
For me it's great because I can just come anytime and it's free.
It's very affordable. The staff is very friendly.
Are you ready? Yeah.
I can't hear you! Are you ready?
Yeah! Inhale.
Exhale. Inhale.
Exhale. Do it again.
Inhale. March it out.
Four counts up and four counts back. March it out!
The Al Oerter Recreation Center was dedicated in honor of Al Oerter who was a discus thrower
and a four time Olympian four time Olympian champion which is pretty amazing and very
difficult to do.
It's only appropriate that a great facility like this be named for someone like him.
He was a teammate of mine but he was also a teammate of several others because he made
four Olympic teams. He was there before I came and he was there
after I left.
I am so proud to have this building named after my husband because these kinds of facilities
are so critical for the youth and just the general population.
It encourages them to get involved and it introduces them to some of the things that
will be very valuable to them in the future. I work with children.
I'm a truant officer so I know the problems and anytime we can come up with something
to help them it's great.
Al Oerter was born here in New York so we just feel that he's an exemplary person for
this community.
As a three year old he was actually at the World's Fair here in 1939.
And so I'm sure he never thought as he was tripping over the paths to get here that one
day the building would be here in his name. He would be honored.
Hi I'm Kevin and Al Oerter Recreation Center is in my park.