A long-awaited community center in East Flatbush is touting the perks that will soon be available for free to children - and at an affordable rate for families in the East Flatbush community.

Officials from NYC DDC, the city-run capital projects developers, say the Shirley Chisholm Recreational Center will include a half-Olympic size swimming pool, basketball courts with an elevated track, as well as a weight and cardio gym area.

But it's not just sports, as the center will also have dance studios, kitchen training areas for cooking classes, dance studios as well as a media and podcasting center, with access to child care and after-school programming for the community.

"When you look at a map of rec centers throughout the city there is definitely a void in this Central Brooklyn area so the placement is really important," said NYC DDC deputy director of Cultural Institutions Daphne Lansky.

The center currently sits on what was a turf field, next to existing parks and a local school, and sits at 80% completion, according to NYC DDC.

"We hear every day from kids about the pool, 'when will it be ready?'" said Francois Fortune-Blanchard, of NYC DDC, who says the pool was a specific item that the community pushed for due to a lack of swimming access for the area.

"It's important that kids see something beautiful being built for them, for their self-esteem, for them to see they deserve this," she said.

Lansky tells News 12 her team has been working to keep the project on time and on budget, with the interior planned to have murals in the style of Chisholm's iconic vibrant outfits she wore when campaigning for federal office, including the presidency.

Residents in the area, including grandfather Winston Thomas, says he can't wait for young people to have access to this center.

"Yes, we need more of this for young people, because right now in the summertime they have nowhere to go they get in the streets and get themselves in trouble, but now they will know where to go; right there," he said.

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