City officials say the Evansville Youth Center, 209 S. First St., is past its prime. A new committee is focused on finding a solution and possibly building a new facility.
Evansville Youth Center Director Becky Bartlett, center, talks with members of the new Youth Center Work Group about the facility’s needs at the group’s first meeting Monday.
City officials say the Evansville Youth Center, 209 S. First St., is past its prime. A new committee is focused on finding a solution and possibly building a new facility.
Evansville Youth Center Director Becky Bartlett, center, talks with members of the new Youth Center Work Group about the facility’s needs at the group’s first meeting Monday.
The first time Becky Bartlett walked through the Evansville Youth Center nine years ago, she felt an immense sadness.
The space was tight, and the city-owned building at 209 S. First St. showed signs of its age. The floor was uneven, and some parts of the floor were wet. Despite the building’s issues, Bartlett accepted the head job at the facility and has served as its director since.
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Today, Bartlett’s feeling of sadness has been replaced by excitement amid progress toward a new youth center. A committee called the Youth Center Work Group met for the first time Monday as it works toward a new facility.
“It is so positive and so exciting,” Bartlett said.
The committee will evaluate the needs of the youth center and target possible locations for the facility.
One option involves a proposal with the Evansville School District donating land near its middle school as a site for a new youth center.
Regardless of where a new youth center is located, those involved say the need is genuine.
Bartlett said the ceiling and walls sometimes leak when it rains, the stove is a danger because the kitchen is too close to the kids, and there’s not enough space. Bartlett works 20 hours a week at the facility, and the only other staff works part time, too.
“It’s kind of a dreary place, and you need a bright, happy place for kids. I have done what I think I can to build and expand … but you’re so limited with what we have available,” Bartlett said.
The youth center operates 3:10 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and averages 30 kids a day, which can be a lot for the small building and staff. The center occasionally takes kids on field trips during teacher in-service days.
Mayor Bill Hurtley has zero doubts that the youth center’s home is probably less than what occupants deserve.
“We need one,” Hurtley said. “We want to get more kids involved in it, but I think we’re pretty much at the max at the moment. A nice facility would draw more kids and hopefully will keep kids out of doing things they shouldn’t be.”
One issue is that the city is working on multiple projects, so the city wants to be financially smart about a new youth center. But Hurtley said the current building, which he estimated was built in the late 1950s, is a focus for the city.
Committee chairman and city Alderman Jim Brooks said the committee is focused on giving area kids and families the best youth center possible.
“We want the kids to have the best youth center they can have at the price that we can afford. I think we’re all working toward the same end,” he said.
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