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<br />Channel 4000 - Hometown - Burnsville opens new teen center
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<br />meet friends, and be safe.
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<br />Although the Garage has been open for business since
<br />July 6, its official opening is scheduled for Saturday.
<br />July 17.
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<br />Named after its location, the teen center is in the
<br />city's former maintenance center in Civic Center
<br />Park, directly across from City Hall.
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<br />Costing more than a quarter of a million dollars to set
<br />up, the Garage is a partnership between the city, area
<br />businesses, parents, and organizations that have
<br />supplied grants for the project, said Eric BillieC the
<br />Garage's coordinator.
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<br />"It's been slow getting started," said Billiet. "Kids are
<br />coming in now in small groups, staying a little while.
<br />checking the place out, and then leaving.
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<br />"I think they're still deciding if we're a good place to
<br />be," he said.
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<br />The Garage has a lot to offer teens looking for a place
<br />to go. The area has been completely remodeled into
<br />separate activity areas. A large game room features
<br />two pool tables, ping-pong, Foosball, and a wide
<br />variety of pinball and other electronic games. In the
<br />Garage's TV lounge, teens can watch their favorite
<br />episode of "Seinfeld" or "Beavis & Butthead" on a
<br />32-inch television donated by Sears and relax on a
<br />hodgepodge of sofas and easy chairs. For the more
<br />studious, there is a computer center with two
<br />computers, desks, and a large goldfish to keep an eye
<br />on things.
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<br />The reception area has the look of an outdoor bistro
<br />with the names, and in some cases, hand prints, of
<br />supporters scrawled across them.
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<br />Also obvious are the posted notes on the rules at the
<br />Garage that urge visitors to: respect yourself, staff
<br />and peers; that there is zero tolerance for drugs,
<br />smoking, alcohol, or other illegal activities, as well as
<br />signs of gang affiliation; no loitering; and that visitors
<br />should be responsible for personal valuables.
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<br />"We have rules because we want everyone who
<br />comes to the Garage to be comfortable," said Billiet.
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<br />Although the first phase of building the Garage is
<br />done, he has hopes that expansion will continue. He
<br />would like to see the entire maintenance garage
<br />complex made into a youth center with space for
<br />teams, a theater complex for budding actors, and
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