‘... it’s going to save lives’
Multi-sport field to be built in Homewood in honor of NFL Hall of Famer Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin joined the Allderdice High School football team during his senior year in the early 1990s to insulate himself from the troubles of his Homewood neighborhood. His prowess on the field earned him a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, an 11year NFL career and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
But the retired running back wants more children from his old neighborhood to have a safe place to spend their time. Mr. Martin, who until Sunday ranked fourth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, joined Mayor Bill Peduto and others Tuesday to announce a $14 million public-private partnership to build a multi-sport turf field in Homewood.
“You have no idea the difference that this facility is going to make in this environment,” Mr. Martin, 45, said at a news conference at the City-County Building in Downtown. “I just want to thank everyone involved, because this is not only going to change lives, but it’s going to save lives.”
The field will replace the Homewood playground on Hamilton Avenue and will honor Mr. Martin. The space also will include a yet-tobe-determined “water feature,” which residents will help design, and a gathering space available for community events, Mr. Peduto said.
The partnership includes contributions from the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Indianapolis-based insurance holding company
Group1001, and Homewood Community Sports. The Urban Redevelopment Authority has secured a grant to pay to demolish a vacant school building at the site, and capital budget funding will pay for other amenities.
Group1001 has given the Ripken Foundation $5 million to build 10 youth parks over five years, with projects planned for such places as Washington, D.C.; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; Detroit, Seattle, Florida and the New York City area. The Ripken Foundation has built 78 parks across the country since 2010.
Mr. Martin, a former City League player of the year, was taken by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 1995 NFL draft. He played in five Pro Bowls during his career with the Patriots and the New York Jets. He retired after the 2005 season with 14,101 rushing yards, which Miami Dolphins running back Frank Gore eclipsed Sunday, surpassing him for fourth all-time in career rushing yards.
At the news conference Tuesday, Mr. Martin described challenges he faced growing up in Homewood, including the fatal stabbing of his grandmother when he was 9.
“We all who come from this community, we know how important something like this is,” he said. “We didn’t have this when we were growing up.”
Mr. Martin said he visited the field last year, stopping by his cramped childhood home that he sometimes shared with up to 30 people. Fellow Pitt alum and Pro-Bowler Aaron Donald was hosting a youth camp at the field that Mr. Martin said he visited for about 20 minutes.
Shortly after he left, he received a text message informing him that a young girl had just been shot nearby, a reminder of the neighborhood’s turmoil, he said.
Mubarik Ismaeli, head of the grass-roots group Homewood Community Sports, said the complex and its programs will be “trend setting” and support kids in all aspects of their lives.
“This is going to be ‘60 Minutes’-worthy,” he said. “This is going to be the project everyone cites when dealing with the community and being transparent with the community.”
A completion date for the Homewood project was not announced.