After City's Sweep, Beloved Harlem Workout Group Looks To Future

HARLEM, NY — Weeks after the city confiscated equipment from a beloved fitness club that has met for decades at Marcus Garvey Park, the group's leader says its future is looking brighter.

"I’ve never left," said Jamel Ali, the 46-year-old construction worker who has led the Lion's Den since its inception about 20 years ago, and has kept holding classes since the April 12 sweep. "Everything is the same for me."

Ali was at the center of last month's controversy, in which officers from the Parks Department swept away the weights, punching bags, boxing gloves and other equipment that he had long stashed informally in the park's fitness area — amid shouts of protest from onlookers.

Ali said he was told that the dismantling was part of Mayor Eric Adams's targeting of homeless encampments — though nobody slept in the tent he kept in the park, using it only to store equipment. The city denied this, saying Ali had been breaking park rules for years, and had been given a week to move his belongings before the dismantling.

The sweep triggered outrage in the neighborhood, as Harlemites called the Lion's Den a positive presence in the park and questioned the decision to clear it. But the city said it had little choice, since Ali was breaking rules by leaving the equipment unattended.

Now, three weeks later, there are signs of a possible compromise: Ali told Patch on Wednesday that the Parks Department had offered to install a storage unit where he could put his equipment.

"They don’t mind me doing it. They just want to make sure everything is safe," he said, adding that he has signed paperwork to secure the storage unit and is waiting for it to be processed. (Since the city would pay for the storage unit, it's unclear what will become of the GoFundMe launched by neighbors to help the Lion's Den, which has raised more than $1,200.)

A Parks Department spokesperson could not confirm the offer, saying details were still being worked out.

"We are grateful for the community advocates that have helped to bridge a conversation with Mr. Ali—we continue to work with him to come to a mutually beneficial resolution that is aligned with our park rules," Parks spokesperson Crystal Howard said.

Still, last month's sweep left Ali feeling disoriented and hurt, and forced him to confront the poor conditions in the park that contributed to his confrontation with the city. In recent weeks, he has started pressing the Parks Department to install a portable toilet near the Lion's Den on the east side of Marcus Garvey Park, like those in the comfort station on the park's west side.

"I've been just trying to find my place," he said. "I feel out of place."

Looking ahead, Ali said the Lion's Den is in solid shape — despite lingering wounds from April 12.

"Moving forward, we in a good position — I just don’t like the way it was done," he said. "Other than that, it’s for the better."

Related coverage: City Dismantles Beloved Harlem Workout Spot, Sparking Outrage