PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. --
Children in the Tri-Command community will soon have a place to do homework, play games and interact with their peers.
A new youth center being built on Wake Boulevard will serve children and teenagers of active duty and retired servicemembers, as well as the children of civilian employees.
The project, costing roughly $3.5 million dollars, began in October, and looks to be finished by mid-July, said Jonathan Peters, a project manager for the Haskell Design-Build Firm, the general contractor of the center.
“We’re now entering into the finishing stage,” said Peters, of Jacksonville, Fla. “That includes installing tiles, putting in ceilings, painting, and wiring the mechanical and electrical systems.”
The construction of the new center comes as good news to the current youth center personnel.
“This project is long overdue,” said Bob Mullen, the director of Marine Corps Family Services.
“We were in the Staff NCO club before, and then we moved into trailers,” said Mullen, from Cleveland, Miss. “Now we’re in high cotton with our own building,” he said.
Even with all the changes, they remain undaunted.
“This was actually designed to be a youth center, not something we had to make due with. It’s going to be nice,” he added.
The Haskell firm designed the building to Marine Corps Community Services
specifications Peters said.
“We’re putting in a multipurpose room for volleyball and half-court basketball,” said Scott Decker, the assistant superintendent for the project. The design allows for the room to later be expanded so a full, indoor basketball court can be added if more funding is allotted.
“For now, there will be an outdoor court for full-court basketball,” said Decker, from Fort Pierce, Fla.
A recreation area is being built to support a capacity of up to five large, flat-screen televisions, Decker said, along with plenty of recreational equipment.
“The game room will have foosball, air hockey, a pool table, and video games,” said Kari Lopez, the Depot’s Child and Youth Program manager.
Two classrooms are also part of the design, so children and teenagers can study.
“We’ll have a homework area with computers and employees assigned to help children with their work,” said Lopez, from San Diego. “Whatever their daily assignments are, we’ll help them learn the material.”
“The sheetrock is made to be both moisture and teen resistant,” he said. “And the flooring will be quite durable too.”
Lopez said the idea for the youth center has been in the works for about five years, and that she is excited to see it finally under construction to serve local young people.
“The youth center is especially needed for new children coming aboard the depot,” she said. “It gives them a chance to come into an area that is non-threatening and realize there are other kids like them here.
“It’s important for them to have a place where they can feel a sense of ownership, security and safety,” she said. “A place where they can have fun, and be a kid.”