BATON ROUGE —Construction began Monday on a new addition to the Howell Park BREC Community Center designed to engage and inspire local children.

The new Inspiration Center will use technology, education, sports and mentorship to help guide Baton Rouge youth.

“We are creating an environment in which our children can grow and bloom, we want the youth of today to be proud leaders of tomorrow...but we need the help of the community,” East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

The Inspiration Center is a project from the Baton Rouge Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation.