Hundreds of residents and teens urge Redmond Council to reverse closure of Old Firehouse Teen Center

The Redmond City Council heard more than three hours of public comment April 15 from teenagers, parents, alumni and longtime residents urging the city to reverse the administrative decision to move teen programs out of the Old Firehouse Teen Center and to preserve the building for youth services.

Council Vice President Jessica Forsyth, acting as mayor pro tem, opened the public-comment period by summarizing the city’s decision to relocate teen programs to the Redmond Community Center at Miramar Village, citing hazardous materials and structural issues at the Old Firehouse and saying that the city moved programs to “ensure we could continue to meet the standards of our community.” She said no final decision has been made on the future of the building and that the council will discuss next steps at a study session on April 22.

Why it matters: Commenters described the Old Firehouse as a long-running, youth-led space whose sudden administrative closure on March 28 disrupted programming, transportation and the mental-health supports many teens rely on. Speakers stressed that the new Miramar Village spaces…