Clock no longer ticking on youth center: AYF acknowledges it won't meet deadline, but will keep raising money

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October 29, 2009

Youth foundation seeks $3.2 million more

By Bethany Bray

The Andover Youth Foundation's effort to privately finance a youth center in Andover will enter an 11th year.

The group is removing a self-imposed deadline to raise the remaining $3.2 million needed to build a youth center by December 2010.

"Our deadline is recalibrated. Everyone in America is recalibrating," said Peg Campbell, president of the Andover Youth Foundation, noting the country is mired in an economic recession.

Money-raising efforts will continue, as Andover Youth Services annual Christmas tree lot will open Nov. 28 and a "Raise the Roof" telethon is planned for this winter.

"As always, we're thinking out of the box in ways of making things happen for the youth in this town," said AYS director Bill Fahey.

"It's still on the front burner for us," said Fahey, of youth center fundraising. "Let's face it, North Andover has a youth center, Lawrence has a new Boys and Girls Club and Methuen has a youth center. The time will come. We just have to be persistent, and we're ready to do that."

Fahey has been meeting with parent advisory councils in town this fall, having "good conversations," he says, about youth issues and development, and how a youth center would benefit teens.

Campbell said the priority over the last year has been supporting Andover Youth Services, its programs and staff during a time of budget cuts.

"There's a lot of interest (in building a youth center) still. But we don't want (Andover Youth Services) programs to wane or staff to go away, all the fantastic opportunities to go away. That money has to come from somewhere, and it's not coming from their budget. I feel really proud that we've been able to help them, to make money available and see it put to good use and change so many lives," she said.

The Andover Youth Foundation formed a little more than a year before Sept. 11, 2001. Its proposed 30,000-square-foot youth center is expected to cost $5.5 million. After roughly a decade backing the project, the Youth Foundation says it has raised close to half that figure, including a $1.5 million donation from the Cormier family, whom the center will be named after if built, and $500,000 in state money obtained by local legislators last fall.

Donations made in memory of the late Jerry Silverman, former selectman and longtime supporter of youth center plans, also went to Andover Youth Foundation after he passed away in July 2009.

Over the last four years, the foundation has attained $525,000 in grant money for AYS programs and staffing, separate from the town budget, said Campbell.

Focus this year has been on fixing up a town-owned building at 37-39 Pearson St., which Andover Youth Services moved into as a temporary home.

The renovation was funded mostly by the foundation, and completed by youth and local volunteers.

"We're really excited about that space. There's already so much going on there," said Campbell. "That will be a microcosm of our larger project."

Fahey said AYS has seen increased participation and new teens get involved since the Pearson Street house opened.

The Pearson Street home abuts town yard, where the town stores road sand, salt and repairs vehicles. When approved by Town Meeting voters and purchased in 2007, the site was eyed as a possible tear-down, making room for a town yard expansion.

Selectmen voted in May 2008 to allow AYS to move into the building as "temporary" measure, until a youth center could be built. Previously, AYS had operated out of a cramped office space in Town Offices.

In April 2007, residents at a Special Town Meeting approved using land behind the Doherty Middle School, off Bartlet Street, for a youth center. The roughly 30,000 square foot center would be built with funds from the private Andover Youth Foundation, which would then give the youth center and the land back to the town.