Ten city recreation centers in areas with "high concentrations of at-risk youth" will remain open for extended hours throughout the summer to provide a haven for children.
The governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention is funding the extended hours, said Shaun Adamec, a spokesman for Gov. Martin O'Malley.
O'Malley and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will announce the locations of the recreation centers at a news conference this afternoon. The city recently extended hours for swimming pools for Wednesday and today to help residents cope with the heat wave.
A preliminary city budget had called for the closure of more than half of the city's rec centers, but the proceeds of a package of new taxes will be used, in part, to keep the rec centers open throughout the summer.
City officials plan to convene a task force to chart a long-term plan for the Recreation and Parks Department, which could involve the permanent closure of underused recreation centers.