Johnny Sample Rec Center in West Philadelphia’s Cobbs Creek reopens following $15M remodel

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West Philadelphia’s Johnny Sample Recreation Center in Cobbs Creek reopened this week after a $15 million renovation that added a boxing training gym and upgraded its pool.

The facility, named after the professional athlete and community advocate, has been a staple in the community since it was renamed in 2019.

“[Sample] wasn’t just a football player; he was an athlete of extraordinary gifts,” said Pennsylvania state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, D-Philadelphia.

After retiring from the NFL, Sample made the Cobbs Creek neighborhood his home and turned his attention to tennis, a sport in which he quickly excelled. He was also a sports radio host, commentating on the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I remember my dad jogging up this parkway and coming to this center to coach the young people,” his daughter, Evelyn Sample, said during the ribbon cutting. “My brother and I wanted to find a way that his name and legacy could live on in this community, one that he loved so much.”

The renovated Sample Recreation Center features a two-story addition with expanded programming spaces, flexible activity rooms and a multipurpose space. The facility also includes a new fitness and boxing room, an updated gymnasium and pool, HVAC and roofing systems, and improved accessibility features connecting the center to Cobbs Creek Park’s trail system.

The project’s budget came from the city’s beverage tax and Philadelphia’s Rebuild project. Additional funding was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of State, the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Councilmember Jaime Gauthier, who secured support through the city’s Improvements to Existing Facilities program.

Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson said the remodel reflects the city’s commitment to building stronger communities.

Mayor Cherelle Parker echoed that message, saying projects like the recreation center are the result of years of work, collaboration and sustained investment by officials and community members.

Parker also recognized former Councilmember Jannie Blackwell for supporting Philadelphia’s soda tax, which has helped fund improvements at rec centers across the city.

“They put posters up in supermarkets saying, ‘Your soda costs more because of Jannie Blackwell.’ That’s what happens when you lead and you make tough decisions that don’t get you a round of applause, but they do deliver tangible results,” Parker said.

The city, along with its partners, used community input over several years to decide on what would be included in the remodel.

“The idea is to have folks that are closely connected to the communities to be part of the building process,” said Aparna Palantino, deputy managing director of Philadelphia’s Capital Program Office.

In addition to renovating the Sample Recreation Center, the Fairmount Park Conservancy planted 1,700 native plants around the area and helped improve the Cobbs Creek Environmental Center. The Conservancy’s Land Care team will continue to help maintain public access to trails and care for the surrounding landscape.

“Our work doesn’t stop when construction ends,” said Ausra Mussett, planning and engagement project manager for the Fairmount Park Conservancy.