Redmond presents final teen‑services engagement report; staff to integrate findings into Old Firehouse planning

Redmond Parks and Recreation presented a final report on its citywide teen‑services engagement process Tuesday, telling the City Council the findings will guide programming and the upcoming Old Firehouse (OFH) scenario planning. Parks and Recreation Director Loreen Hamilton introduced the report and Deputy Director Zach Covener summarized results and next steps.

The report matters because it consolidates more than five months of outreach — including 317 detailed questionnaire responses, 17 tabling events and targeted stakeholder conversations — into specific guidance on where teens go for services, what programming they want, and barriers to participation. Staff said the results already are being used to adjust teen lounge operations and to design outreach and partnerships.

Covener told the council the spring engagement targeted current and future teens aged 11–19, families, service providers and OFH alumni. He said the outreach included stakeholder interviews, six service‑provider discussions, two library and youth advisory board meetings, 17 tabling events, two community listening sessions (46 participants total) and a project website that received nearly 4,000 visits from March through June. The report’s stated objectives were to…