Gardner launches community youth center with state earmark and free student transport

Mayor (name not specified) announced that the Gardner Community Youth Center will open on the first day of school in the basement of Elm Street School and will be free for all city students in grades 7 through 12. The mayor said Woods Ambulance will provide transportation from the middle school and high school to the center. Representative John Slotnick (surname also spoken as Zlotnick in the recording) was credited with securing an earmark in the state budget to fund the program’s first pilot year. Mayor (name not specified) identified Brandon Huey as the youth center director and thanked Council President George Tyrone, Superintendent Pellegrino and Councilor Elizabeth Kacinskas (referred to in the recording also as Lizzie Kosinskas) for coordinating the transition.

Nut graf: The center replaces programming previously provided through the local Boys and Girls Club partnership (which the mayor said will refocus on Fitchburg and Leominster) and is intended as a one‑year pilot funded by the state earmark so the city can evaluate ongoing need and operations.

City officials said the center will open on the first day of school, that students may attend after school at no cost, and that registration forms are available on the city website under the Community Youth Center tab. The mayor said donors and local benefactors underwrote renovations to the Elm Street School basement and that Woods Ambulance will run transport routes for students without private vehicles. The mayor described the funding as an earmark in the state budget for the first year of the pilot program and said the city will evaluate the program’s need moving forward.

The mayor closed the announcement by saying a ribbon cutting and grand‑opening video will be posted soon and inviting questions to the mayor’s office.

Ending: City officials advised parents to check the city’s website for registration details and the forthcoming ribbon‑cutting video.