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City gives up last neighborhood center
By ABBIE VANSICKLE CLEARWATER -- A few decades ago, neighborhood recreation centers were all the rage in Clearwater. Owned and operated by the city, these small buildings, such as Clearwater's Wood Valley Recreation Center, offered community gathering places and provided havens for local youths within walking distance of their homes. But as the city's population grew, the centers were unable to provide the athletic and programming needs of burgeoning communities. The city began to shift its focus toward bigger, state-of-the-art facilities catering to people of all ages. One by one, the city turned over management of the centers to third parties. If all goes according to plan, the last of the neighborhood centers officially will change hands at the Nov. 7 City Commission meeting, freeing city resources for bigger centers and signaling the end of an era. Built in 1980, Wood Valley Recreation Center, 2816 Park Trail Lane, is a 3,310-square-feet, three-room gray building just northeast of the intersection of U.S. 19 and Drew Street. Surrounded by wooded areas, basketball hoops, tennis courts and a baseball diamond, the center offers a safe place for neighborhood teens to gather in the evenings. Offering pool tables and a television, it is a popular hangout for many young people. But the city doesn't want the financial and staffing responsibility. After severing ties with seven of the eight neighborhood centers, the Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department decided the Suncoast Boys and Girls Club was a good choice for Wood Valley. "We decided to bring in a third-party provider," said Kevin Dunbar, director of Clearwater's Parks and Recreation Department. "In essence, we'll be able to expand our staff and programs by having a third party who can offer the needed services." For community members, the switch in service providers will bring a few noticeable changes, Dunbar said. There will be an annual fee of $10 to use the facility. The center now is free to city residents. The Boys and Girls Club will provide workshops about peer pressure, teen pregnancy and other topics aimed at teens. Dunbar said additional programming provided by the Boys and Girls Club will be a great addition because most of the people who use the facility are teenagers. It is more feasible for the Boys and Girls Club to provide teen services, he said, because the national organization has established workshops and staff members who specialize in youth issues. The city will continue to maintain the outdoor athletic facilities around the center and will still own the building. The Boys and Girls Club will take charge of staffing and programming. The city held two community meetings to get feedback on the switch. Dunbar said many residents voiced concern about the end of their small neighborhood center. He said he understands residents' concerns but emphasized the changes to the center will be positive for the community. "It's still a neighborhood center," he said. "But now there will be more services and open-door teen programs. People will still be able to use the center's facilities, just like they did before the change." Center employee Rene Colmenares, 50, a physical education teacher at Eisenhower Elementary, said he thinks the city's decision to turn over the center is the best option. "To be honest, I think it's a good thing," he said. "I've heard the Boys and Girls Club will offer a variety of programs for the kids. My main concern is for these teenagers." Colmenares said his only concern is the center will not be open late enough for teens to have somewhere to go at night. The Boys and Girls Club will not decide the hours until it gets the commission's approval for staffing ownership, said Aaron McGlon, director of Jasmine Court Boys and Girls Club. Pinellas Technical Education Center student Bryan Teague, 17, is a regular at the recreation center. He said he doesn't think the change will have much effect on people who use the center. "Everybody will come here anyway, no matter who runs it," he said. "This is our place to hang out and play around."
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