Thursday, March 2, 2000 Older Editions

Youth center advocates present plan to selectmen

By Neil Fater

If the group calling itself Andover Youth Foundation lives up to its lofty goals, an Andover youth center is just a little more than two years away.

But a number of questions must be answered first, not the least of which is whether the private group represented by outgoing Selectman Larry Larsen and former selectman Jerry Silverman can raise nearly $2 million by its target of February 2001.

Silverman told selectmen Monday that the Andover Youth Foundation (AYF) wants to build a 12,000- to 20,000-square-foot youth center behind the West Andover fire station near Greenwood, Ledge and Chandler roads.

The facility would be built in conjunction with plans to create recreation areas at that site and on the landfill across Ledge Road from the proposed site. Silverman says a gymnasium and even a pool could be added later.

AYS plans to raise the bulk of the approximately $2.5 million needed, but hopes to ask for substantial help from the town at a September Town Meeting.

The group will ask voters to give the youth-center cause $500,000, to donate land behind the West Andover fire station, and to increase the budget for Youth Services.

Although AYF has raise only a few thousand dollars so far, Larsen expresses confidence the group will raise the necessary cash. About a year ago, there were only five members of AYF. Today, there are 36, including town leaders in the fields of youth programs, finance, construction, banking and politics, says Larsen.

"This is our one chance. If we blow this one, it's gone for at least a decade. So we're going to take our time," says Larsen.

Action

But a look at AYF's time line does not indicate a group with any plans to dilly-dally.

It plans to raise up to $250,000 this month, and then work to build support throughout the summer in anticipation of the important votes at Fall Town Meeting.

Another $1.2 million will be raised by November through major gift and corporate fund raising, with a final $500,000 coming through community fund raising in February 2001, according to AYF's goals.

Silverman says the group plans to break ground in May, 2001, and have the facility open during 2002.

"Five years ago, right at that table, we voted to support the funding for a youth center and then lost a vote at Town Meeting," says Silverman.

But now, he says, "I think we can honestly say we are on our way."

No time like the present

As the group takes its first public steps, however, officials are pointing out some of the hurdles it must leap.

Selectman Mary French asked why Andover should abandon a plan for youth to move into the current senior center space once seniors move into their proposed new center at Phillips Academy.

"Timing is everything. I think we have the enthusiasm to do this now," said Silverman. "I don't know where I'll be three years from now and I don't know where the doctor (Larsen) will be. We have a movement for youth now."

Mary Donohue, of the community services department, also said her department is interested in using the current senior center space full time, and already uses the space at night for some of its programs.

"Perhaps the time is right. In three years we may have the economic downturn everyone is worried about, and we won't have generous donations," said Selectmen Chairman John Hess.

But Hess expressed other concerns, and said Andover needs to hear from several groups before it can support a proposed article for the Fall 2000 Town Meeting.

"I haven't seen any involvement of parents of youth, particularly parents of elementary students who will be using the center in coming years. I would challenge you to have forums with those groups," he said.

Youth center supporters must see if parents support a West Andover center, since many parents may need to drive their kids to and from such a facility, he said.

"That's one of the things we are working on now," said Silverman.

The town may also need to confirm there won't be legal or political problems with a private-public partnership seeking to build a town facility on town-owned land.

Silverman said AYF members have discussed different ways to build a center, including whether it should be a town project, or built privately and then given to the town.

Hess noted a town study on the best way to build fields in the area will not be ready by Fall Town Meeting.

Therefore, the town's study of how to build the fields around the proposed youth center site "may not mesh with the time lines they've outlined," he said.