ALBANY — Jaylen McMillan and Alex Carlos Rivera circled each other in the ring. The popping sound of their gloves making contact meant that Quail Street Boxing Gym was back in business.
A reopening ceremony was held Tuesday evening for the gym that houses the city’s boxing program that began in the early 1970s. The gym had been closed since February because of renovations to the bathrooms, the latest in $500,000 in capital improvements to the facility through a state and municipalities grant secured by then-Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, who is now a state senator.
“This reopening of this specific facility comes at a very critical time, as our community deserves safe spaces and safe places for our young people, especially as we are seeing our schools close for the summer,” said Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs, who took part in Tuesday’s event. “This is a perfect opportunity and time (to) reopen this facility because this program has supported so many youth and families throughout the years, and has improved so many of our youths’ lives since its debut.”…