The Rec Center is an Investment in Our City’s Future

If you could design the perfect American town, what would it look like?

For me, it would be a place where families feel safe, children have room to grow, and opportunity feels close enough to touch. A place where history is respected, but the future is actively built. That’s what Newburyport has always symbolized—and it’s why my family chose to put down roots here.

My name is Rani Eng. I’m a candidate for Newburyport City Council. I’m running to engage you in our government. I will make it easier for you to show up and govern together. I’m a mother, a professional Chief of Staff who has managed multimillion-dollar budgets with accountability, and a passionate believer in building communities where every child, family, and neighbor has a chance to thrive. My platform is simple: Smart Growth, Fiscal Responsibility, and Community First.

Right now, I believe we are standing at a pivotal moment.

The proposal to build a new Recreation and Youth Services Center at 59 Low Street represents an investment not just in a building, but in the heart of our future. It’s a commitment to our young people—to create a space where they can connect, stay active, and feel supported. It’s a commitment to parents who dream of raising their children in a community that offers opportunity, not just obligation. In many ways, saying “yes” to projects like this is saying “yes” to the American Dream itself.

But dreams need solid foundations.

With my professional experience in forecasting and financial planning, I also know that a healthy city can’t live in a constant state of building. We can’t treat new projects like a revolving door. Smart, forward-looking leadership means knowing when to grow—and knowing when to maintain and strengthen what we already have.

Newburyport has recently invested in critical infrastructure: from coastal resilience projects on Plum Island, to affordable housing initiatives, to upgrading our school facilities. These were important and necessary steps. But as anyone who manages a household, a business, or a city knows, too many simultaneous projects can strain even the healthiest budget—especially when economic uncertainties loom.

That’s why I believe that while we should enthusiastically support the Recreation Center project as an investment in our youth, we must also recognize it as a turning point. Once it’s underway, we must transition into a new era: an era of fiscal conservancy, infrastructure upkeep, and careful stewardship of our existing assets.

We need to focus on maintaining our roads, supporting our public safety services, protecting our coastal systems, and ensuring our existing community spaces are fully funded and flourishing. We need to pause before embarking on the next big thing, breathe, and stabilize. That is the promise I will bring to the City Council if elected: an unwavering commitment to both the dreams and the discipline that a thriving Newburyport deserves.

I believe the Recreation Center will bring decades of positive returns—social, emotional, and economic. I believe it will strengthen our sense of community and make Newburyport an even better place to raise families, now and for generations to come. But I also believe that real leadership means preparing not just for the next shiney opportunity, but for the next 50 years.

By making responsible budgeting choices today, we give ourselves the freedom to build boldly tomorrow—with a clear mind, strong reserves, and a city that’s ready to keep reaching higher.

Newburyport’s future is bright. Let’s keep it that way—together.

Rani Eng
Newburyport resident

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