BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Dist. 44 State Rep. Vincent Pierre struck out against the closure of four northside Lafayette recreation centers in a scathing letter released today.

“Let’s get to the point,” the letter begins. “Closing the Domingue, Heymann, James and Bowles recreation centers in north Lafayette’s community is not only problematic, but it is reckless.”

Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory announced the closure of the four centers earlier this month as a cost-saving measure for the upcoming budget year. The move has drawn harsh criticism, however, as the closures proposed disproportionately affect Black neighborhoods on the city’s north side. The closures also bring 37 job losses.

Pierre said the closures will have three primary impacts on the community: economic, educational and physical.

“While the mayor-president desires to reduce the budget, these four recreational centers are more than just a line item on a budget spreadsheet,” said Pierre. “They represent the memories of a community’s past, the passion of its present, and the resiliency of the next generations’ future. More than anything, they are a representation of the future.

To read Rep. Pierre’s entire statement, download the document below: