The City may close down the Old Fire House Teen Center "for safety reasons" despite over 3,400 signatures to keep it open. Ironically, the Nelson Legacy Group (NLG) headquarters is directly adjacent to the Teen Center. NLG the largest landowner and developer in Redmond.
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| photo Bob Yoder |
From the COR Marketing Department: "Redmond is planning for the future of Redmond’s younger residents and wants to understand how to best serve the community of teens (approximately 13 to 19 years old), now and in the future.
Throughout spring 2025, the City will engage with the community to learn more about what Redmond teens need, how the City can best serve their interests, and where services are needed the most.
For more information on the project and the history of teen services in Redmond, visit redmond.gov/TeenServices."
-- redmond.gov 4/8/2025
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On 04/15/25, twenty-two teens spoke pasionately to Council of the importance of the Redmond Fire House Teen Center, comparing it to how "sterile" and unwelcoming the Marymoor Community Center is. Hear their passionate testimonies at this link:
https://redmond.granicus.com/player/clip/3096?view_id=2&redirect=true
-- Bob Yoder, 4/18/25
4 comments:
Tonight at your Business meeting, I proudly watched our teens passionately defend their inherent need for saving and restoring the Old Firehouse Teen Center ...they need "a place of their own." This was clearly brought to the "old" Council's attention while planning for the Senior & Community Center; that teens wanted their own place - and council abided. Structural safety of the ORFH wasn't the question 2-4 years ago when planning the S&CC; rather it was giving teens a safe place of their own to celebrate their culture.
My experience with the teen center occured when parks held two community meetings there for teen/parent feedback on the Redmond Bike Park. An old guy, I felt out of place, but could see the teens were totally in their own environment, relaxed and chatty. The Randal family gave presentations - they were big users of mountain bikes and tremendous volunteers in making the Redmond Bike Park what it is today. Ms. Hope, Park planner would vouch for that. Had the meeting been held at the "sterile" Marymoor CC one can only guess how poor it would be -- if any teen would show. Yes, it's clear Ms. Birney, a goal you have for Marymoor CC is to bring some life and usefulness to it....but shoehorning the teen center there is not a fit, as you heard with great articulation from our teens tonight. I've been at Marymoor CC ...had to drive there, totally out of my way, to make a solar panel brick donation. Light rail doesn't do it for the teens and/or their parents. Nice that Eva Moon holds her Sing Alongs there, but what contrast and conflict to teen music and art, as is the exercise equipment, front desk and back offices with staff twidling their fingers. One good thing I can say is they have good Redmond historic photos there (as does EvergreenHealth Urgent Care and RB&G.)
Having experienced mental illness, I'm VERY concerned their feelings of "loss of this soul" could lead to suicide ideation for some. Seriously so. Some teens spoke to this at your Business meeting.
Transparency: what are the plans for this parcel and who will benefit from it? Come forth, please! Ms. Birney has new reins on the RHS; and the Society needs to assert themselves and lobby Council for Old Fire House Teen Center landmark status. Renovate for safety; modernize; or tear down and rebuild.... your good at that.
Praise to Mr. Fields for his leadership and empathy. Ms. Birney, as our elected official - you need to represent and protect our teens. Please be couragous and tell the "One Redmond" association to back off, this one time.
Sincerely,
Bob Yoder
Redmond Education Hill Facebook group comment:
"The Mayor of Redmond announced yesterday at the Senior Center that the historic Old Fire House Teen Center is planned to be closed in April 2025. This was announced at an invite only event, that my teenager heard about and attended. I did not attend, but apparently this is a decision the city has made and is not considering alternatives. Due to the costs to repair the air circulation system, asbestos, lead paint (which literally ALL older buildings have in this area, including houses)—the activities will be moved over to Marymoor. Which—is absolutely not the same environment, and is not walking distance from any of the Education Hill schools or homes that have benefited from the services and activities offered at the Old Fire House Teen Center. With almost no notice, kids will no longer have access to this historic venue where so many young people have played music. Including: Modest mouse Death Cab for Cutie Fugazi Less than Jake Fall of Troy Literally generations of Redmond teens have benefited from this unique and historical building... It is the longest-standing all-ages event venue in the Seattle area. I’m not someone that is prone to getting sentimental, but I really hate to see something like this done in a city I have called home for nearly 20 years. I would love to see the community gather around the teens of this city to show them that they matter. Music, art, access to services and a safe place go after school is something that this and every community benefits from."— feeling emotional.
Let's see, the City of Redmond had money to rebuild City Hall. Then they found money to rebuild the Senior Center. Why isn't there money to rebuild the Old Firehouse for the teens at the same location?
Good question. It took years of deliberation on funding and design for "rebuilding" and expanding the "Senior & Community Center." If you can believe it, Council came up with the idea of partial funding of the Senior & Community Center with a $17M "councilmatic bond." (That's a bond that doesn't require a vote of the people.) Later, they decided to replace this type of funding with plentiful "one-time money" (funds from retail construction.)
I agree, Council has the power to fund a rebuild, but Mayor Birney would have to work with the developer(s) and the One Redmond Foundation and historical society to make it happen. An alternative to expensive renovations is to rebuild on the total footprint of Old Fire House Teen Center (including the basketball courts,) and build up 6-stories with 4-5 stories for affordable housing and the lower 1-2 stories reserved to the teens ... with sound proofing and perhaps an annex building / porch. The teens would have final say on the programs there.
Council study sessions may prove the need for affordable housing is immence when compared to the tiny, vocal teen population. The city certainly doesn't need to sell our land to another cookie-cutter apartment developer. The city should use the Together Center model -- not sell off our land -- if enough teen programs can be identified.
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