Richmond is preparing to pour $64 million into the develop- ment of new and improved community recreation centers in the East End, South Side and Gilpin Court.

More than $7 million also will be invested in programs to help residents meet emergency needs, pay for child care services and repair and weatherize their homes.

City Council cleared the way Monday for these projects and a host of other spending, including $3,000 bonuses for police officers, firefighters, ambulance personnel and emergency dispatchers as a thank you for their work during the pandemic.

The nine council members did so in approving Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s plan for using the $155 million that the federal government has provided the city through the American Rescue Plan. The city already has the first half of the money and will receive the rest next May.

The vote concerned the use of the first $77 million, but es- sentially set how all of the money would be used.

Council members gave enthusiastic support for spending on the recreation center construction despite knowing that the city has yet to address more than $300 million in maintenance needs on its 80 existing buildings. Roughly $192 million of those maintenance needs are listed as urgent.

The ARP plan earmarks $20 million for development of the first indoor recreation center at Lucks Field in the East End, $36 million to overhaul and expand the T.B. Smith Community Center on Ruffin Road and accelerate improvements to the Southside Community Center on Old Warwick Road and $8 million to repair and improve the Calhoun Center in Gilpin Court, including fixing the pool.

Neither the mayor nor the council has offered any plans to beef up staffing for the city Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, which council members acknowledge often struggles to staff existing recreation centers.

An additional $13.5 million is to be pumped into improvements at James River Park and a riverside trail, park acquisitions in South Side and a bridge over the Crooked Branch Ravine.

The plan also provides $1 million to create a fund to assist financially strapped residents with bills and provides $2 million for child care subsidies.

Another $5.2 million is earmarked for home repairs and to cover removal of lead lines carrying drinking water. Sherill Hampton, the city’s director of Housing and Community Development, said the city already funds three nonprofits in making home repairs and plans to expand that service to reduce a waiting list of 1,600 homes for which service has been requested.

Another $20 million is headed to the city’s Affordable Hous- ing Trust Fund, which is used to provide loans and grants to developments of reduced-price homes and apartments.

The list of expenditures also includes $3 million to revive a revolving loan fund to assist small businesses, $1.5 million for workforce development and $5 million to improve health equity.