Philadelphia Police Athletic League Extending Summer Hours

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Police Department and the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia (PAL) will extend Friday hours at nine PAL centers, and open those centers on Saturdays throughout the summer, giving kids in Philadelphia more access to safe activities this summer, police announced.

The nine centers will be open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays beginning Friday, June 30 and ending Saturday, August 26, police said.

Typically, the centers are open from 9 a.m. to just 5 p.m. during the week in the summer and are not open on Saturdays, police said.

"Extending the hours of operation for the designated sites is in furtherance of our core mission to provide a safe and productive environment for children, while continuing to teach life skills through athletics," Lt. Evelyn Cintron, PAL Commanding Officer, said.

Through this initiative, the nine centers each will offer upwards of 120 additional hours of programming, according to police.

The following centers are part of the new initiative:

East Division

• 24th District – Harrowgate PAL Center, 851 E. Tioga St., 19134

Central Division

• 22nd District – 23rd PAL Center, 1845 N. 23rd St., 19121
• 23rd District – Fairhill PAL, 2601 North 11th Street, 19133
• 9th District – Cozen PAL Center, 732 North 17th St., 19130

Northwest Division

• 14th District – Paley PAL Center, 5330 Germantown Ave., 19144
• 35th District – Logan PAL, 1100 W Rockland St, 19141

South Division

• 3rd District – Ford PAL Center, 631 Snyder Ave., 19148

Southwest Division

• 12th District – Southwest PAL Center, 5900 Elmwood Ave., 19143

Northeast Division

• 15th District – Tacony PAL Center, 4401 Aldine St., 19136

Eighteen PAL centers – staffed by specially trained Philadelphia Police officers – serve more than 17,000 youth annually, police said.

The officers are supported by civilians and volunteers, enabling PAL to offer sports, educational and cultural programs in some of the city’s highest-crime and lowest-income neighborhoods.

Learn more about the PAL, including locations, events, activities, and more, online here.

Patch file photo