Please join Redmond's teen community at City Hall this Tuesday, 4/29, 7PM to speak to the council and mayor about saving the Old Fire House (OFH) Teen Center. This historic building is now shuttered and Mayor Birney and her staff say they haven't decided what to do with it. Park Director Loreen Hamilton talks it up as a hazardous waste site.
Teens are now forced into using the distant multi-use Marymoor Community Center. While OFH is vacant, the city could be renovating and upgrading it for future use, not scrapping it for another cookie-cutter apartment building.
I certainly agree with the teens (and a few councilmembers!) the OFH is symbolic and worthy of landmark status. Please bring your families and friends to City Hall Tuesday, 4/29 to show your support. Plan to arrive early to sign-in if you plan to speak (up to three minutes.)
-- B. Yoder, 4/25/2025
1 comment:
Quote from a post on "Redmond Education Hill" facebook group:
"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.
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