The city’s parks may benefit from a legacy fund that is being set up with help of a $263,000 anonymous donation, city Mayor Gabriel J. Campana told the Brandon Park Commission this week.

“We have looked at ways to bring money into the city,” Campana said. “You have to look at different ways to bring money into the city. We were successful at Bowman with naming rights.”

Campana said he had discussions with the recreation and park commissions in regard to what to do with the pool house at East End.

“The thought is to create that into a recreational center with arts and crafts. The students can come there and do different activities, and adults can have aerobics and stuff. You have to give the citizens another reason to live in the city of Williamsport, quality of life,” he said.

The mayor said that he has been working with the donor for the past few months. Although he said at this time he cannot reveal the identity of the person, he did say that the man has donated millions of dollars to several colleges and hospitals in the region.

“So, I approached this gentleman, and he’s a very pro-child advocate. I told him about the pool house at Shaw Place. It was going to cost approximately $7,500 to renovate that to make some changes,” he said. Campana said he asked him if he would be willing to make a contribution to the city in exchange for naming rights on the renovated building. He said the man agreed to fund the renovation at the Shaw Place site because it was for children.

“He believes that we should create a legacy fund for recreation in the city so that other individuals, when they retire or if they want to put money in their will or their estate, should contribute as well,” he said.

Campana added that the donor also is interested in doing some “positive things” in Brandon Park.

The mayor said he needs to bring the proposal before City Council’s public works committee and to council for approval.

“For him to be able to do this, in this budget he’s going to give us $25,000. He wants to have this agreement by the end of the year,” he added. The donor and his family would also like to have input on where the money is spent.

Campana requested a meeting with the donor, the recreation department and the Brandon Park Commission early in December so that the item could be put on the first or second reading of the budget in December.