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YMCA retools center with technology

The teen center gets a Wii,an iDeck system and improved creature comforts.

By ROBBYN MITCHELL, Times Staff Writer
Published February 8, 2008

TAMPA PALMS 

Gone are the stained carpets and hard wooden sofas of the New Tampa YMCA's old teen center - a place where teens rarely went.

Young people and officials gathered Monday night to dedicate the revamped center at 16221 Compton Drive, which comes with wood flooring, rolling sofas and groovy purple walls.

"We are so proud of how far this room has come," said Rosemary Jones, YMCA director. "It's a great place for teens to come together."

Michael McCollom, who runs the center, said the upgrade extended to the room's technology. "We have a new Nintendo Wii system that we hooked up to our projector and painted the wall white, which gives a really cool (big screen) effect for the kids," he said. "We also got an iDeck system so that the teens could have more influence in the music played in the room."

The space is open to YMCA members and members of the Christian youth groups Young Life and Wild Life, which meet there.

It also will be the new home of "Red Carpet" dances, which are open to the public, and Midnight Mania, an 8 p.m.-to-midnight event for teens held the last Saturday of every month.

Center hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

[Last modified February 7, 2008, 07:39:12]