The Murrieta Youth Center is becoming reality, more than a decade after three acres near California Oaks Sports Park were purchased to serve as its future site.
City and school district officials gathered Wednesday morning to officially break ground on Phase 1 of the project. Construction funding came from developer impact fees designated for parks and/or community centers. The Youth Center was following a spring workshop.
"The facility itself addresses a Parks Master Plan need, which is to provide more activities for the youth in the area, it increases the quality of life for its citizens," said Murrieta Mayor Doug McAllister.
He pointed out that the Youth Center, also known as the Teen Center, is centrally located within the city and is conveniently next to and
In an email to Patch, McAllister provided a timeline that led to Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony:
- In April 1999, city council authorized staff to enter into escrow for the purchase of the Youth Center property;
- In October 2006, city council authorized staff to enter into an agreement with WLC Architects to design the project;
- In May, city council awarded a $3.17-million construction contract to Keeton Construction for Phase 1 of the Youth Center;
- In summer 2013, a dedication and grand opening will take place for facility; and
- Phase 2 will include a gymnasium and exercise/weight room and funding is needed to the tune of $2 million. (No timeline just yet.)
McAllister added that the facility provides the city's youth "the opportunity to engage in fun, supervised activities with their peers while acting as a good alternative to going home to an empty house or idle activities after school."
It also allows the city’s Youth Advisory Committee "the opportunity to collect the opinions of the local teens about what they'd like to see happen in their town and community at a central forum," he said.
"The teen center reflects the city's commitment to see to it that no matter how large we get, we always protect that 'small town' feel—for all segments of our population," McAllister said.
