Residents urge Redmond to reopen Old Firehouse teen center, cite poor planning and lost services

Dozens of residents urged the Redmond City Council on May 20 to reopen the Old Firehouse teen center after the city closed the facility in March and moved teen services to a different location.

Speakers at the meeting said the closure was abrupt, lacked transparent community engagement and harmed teens who relied on the space for social support, music and arts activities. Several commenters said the replacement location is less accessible and less welcoming to the teens who used the Old Firehouse.

The issue drew repeated testimony from parents, former staff and young people who said the Old Firehouse offered a unique “third place” where teenagers learned skills, performed music and found peer support. “If the biggest users of your teen services are almost unanimously saying how much they hate this change, then that should be a massive wake-up call,” said Faith Otter, who said she is 20 and spoke about friends’ mental-health impacts.

Multiple speakers referenced a facility summary report they located on the city website that lists deferred maintenance and possible asbestos/lead hazards; several said the report did not indicate immediate danger and that hazardous materials had not been tested. “Asbestos and lead paint… do not pose a threat unless disturbed,” said Rebecca Grandmont, who said she shared the report with a civil engineer and an architect.

Speakers also raised personnel and process concerns. Several asked for information about Parks staff member Jeff Hagen, who some said has been on leave; others said staff and volunteers were told not to speak publicly about the transition. Commenters said a March 21 internal email asked staff to prevent solicitation at the Old Firehouse and that users were given little advance notice before the closure.

Council member Steve Fields told the meeting earlier that he had planned to make a motion that night to reopen the teen center but would not, citing matters discussed in executive session. The council did not take action on the Old Firehouse during the open meeting.

Speakers urged the council to reopen the Old Firehouse at least temporarily, invest in renovating the building, ensure a replacement site is truly comparable and within walking distance of local schools, and commit to transparent public communication about next steps.

The council received the public comments during the items-from-the-audience portion of the May 20 meeting; no formal vote or directive concerning reopening the teen center was recorded in open session.