agenda every few months. He would stand boldly at the podium, with his skateboard in his hand, and tell the City Council how they needed to do something more for the kids his age in the community. He told them that they needed to build a skate park or a recreation center or something to keep young people busy or in his words "we will get in trouble." The City Council listened to this young man and others in our community who were asking for the same thing and in 2008 the Washington City Community Center opened it's doors.
In May we celebrated our fifth year of the opening of that facility. Over the past five years this facility has not only become highly successful but has endeared itself to the hearts of our citizens.
For your information the Center has been visited over 497,000 times in the past five years and 397,683 of those visits were by paying members (others included events and spectators). The Community Center currently has 6,342 members, houses over 45 program and oversees events and leagues that include more than 12,000 participants.
We could also share the great number of events that have happened since this facility has opened, the great business partnerships which have occurred, the employment that has been provided for our youth and the many awards we have received. And all of this we are very proud of. But what we are most proud of, and what is a little harder to measure, is the impact that this facility has had on the residents of this community from their health to a place to celebrate and socialize, the Community Center has provided that. And as we think back to this young man, who appeared before the City Council, we reflect upon the thousands of young people the past five years who have passed through these doors and found a place to have fun and "stay out of trouble."
So a happy anniversary to our Community Center for all the good you have given to us, over the past five years, as residents!
We could also share the great number of events that have happened since this facility has opened, the great business partnerships which have occurred, the employment that has been provided for our youth and the many awards we have received. And all of this we are very proud of. But what we are most proud of, and what is a little harder to measure, is the impact that this facility has had on the residents of this community from their health to a place to celebrate and socialize, the Community Center has provided that. And as we think back to this young man, who appeared before the City Council, we reflect upon the thousands of young people the past five years who have passed through these doors and found a place to have fun and "stay out of trouble."
So a happy anniversary to our Community Center for all the good you have given to us, over the past five years, as residents!
