A
place of their own
March 17, 2005
By
Anna Marie D'Addarie
There was
no pomp and ceremony at Saturday night's opening of the YMCA Teen
Center, just one great party. Cottagers' Corner on Pequot Avenue
in Oak Bluffs is now a “safe, sober, and accessible place”
for Island teens - according to Eric Adams of Vineyard Haven, the
director of the center. A beaming Mr. Adams proudly showed off the
new center, which was already in high gear on its first night.
The two-story center features foosball, ping-pong, a pool table,
and audio system on the first floor. There is a full kitchen on
the first level, and on opening night KP duty fell to John Clese
of West Tisbury, executive director of the YMCA of Martha's Vineyard.
Mr. Clese kept the teens full with the basic food groups: pizza,
cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and soda.
“The teen center is a beautiful thing for this Island,”
said one young woman as she picked up a soda from the kitchen window
that looks out over the first floor game room.
Mr. Clese said a generous grant from the Alexandra M.M. Gagnon Foundation
covers the rent on Cottagers' Corner.
The center is the result of the combined efforts of SLIP, the youth
council of the YMCA of Martha's Vineyard, and the adult council.
SLIP is a project-based group, and creating the Teen Center was
their largest project to date. The teens came up with the rules
and code of conduct that govern the center and were involved in
every aspect of the project from beginning to opening night.
Important to the community
Steve PremDas of Oak Bluffs remembers the youth center at the building
now housing EduComp, back in the 1980's. He said that center kept
him out of trouble and he promised to do all he could to get another
center like it open on the Island. Mr. PremDas is an adult council
volunteer and he brought his son to the teen center on Saturday
night.
Quinn Retmier of West Tisbury is a member of SLIP. She is familiar
with another teen center in Indiana and knows how important centers
like this one are to the community. Surveying the crowd, an ecstatic
Ms. Retmier said “This is so exciting. I hope it's like this
every weekend.”
Ms. Retmier noted that youths from a number of different social
groups were at the Teen Center on Saturday night.
“How cool is this!” hollered Becca Prager over the pumping
music.
Ms. Prager is also on the adult council. Her excitement on Saturday
night couldn't be contained. She knew the SLIP members would be
on hand for the opening, but many other teens with no connection
to the YMCA came out as well.
Meredith Curtis, a Martha's Vineyard Regional High School junior
from Edgartown, came to check out the new facility. She is not a
member of SLIP, but she is very involved in activities at the high
school, including concert band, drama, the Model UN project, and
the yearbook staff. Meredith said she liked the new center because,
as we all know, there aren't many places for teens to go.
For conversation or to kick off your shoes, go upstairs and relax
in the center's huge living room. Comfortable couches, beanbag chairs,
ottomans, and a large table make getting together easy.
“It's pretty bad that it took 20 years to get another teen
center,” said Heather McElhinney, referring to the former youth
center.
Ms. McElhinney and her friends were using one of the computers upstairs
and seemed to be enjoying the free pizza and other goodies provided.
Mr. Clese offered plenty of free refreshments for opening weekend,
but in the future the young people will have to pay. Prices will
be kept very low so everyone will be able to afford to buy snacks.
Food, foosball, and friends in a fun environment. It's a good thing.
All teens, from high school freshmen to those 20 years old, are
invited to use the Teen Center, located at Cottagers' Corner, 57
Pequot Avenue, Oak Bluffs. The center hours are: Thursday, 2-8 pm;
Friday, 2-11 pm; Saturday, 4-11 pm and Sunday, 4-8 pm, September
through May. Call Eric Adams at 508-696-9119 during Teen Center
hours for more information. Parents are invited to tour the facility.
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