Redondo Beach reopens teen center; staff report attendance gains and new programs
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Summary
Parks & Recreation presented the renovated teen center's reopening, programming shaped by the youth commission and partnerships with schools and community groups; staff reported average attendance of 30–35 on school days and 50–60 on non-school days and outlined steps for further outreach and volunteer mentoring.
Parks & Recreation staff reported to the council Tuesday on the recently renovated teen center, noting a substantial uptick in participation since reopening and a calendar of free activities and partnerships.
Recreation Manager Michelle Pinedo said the teen center reopened with input from a reconstituted youth commission. The youth commission ran a survey that yielded 214 teen responses and helped shape purchases and programming. Staff originally tried splitting days for middle- and high-school age groups but adjusted after seeing teens preferred overlapping hours; the center is now open Monday 2–6 p.m. and Tuesday–Friday 3–6 p.m. on school days, and longer hours on non-school days.
Pinedo reported average attendance of 30–35 teens on regular school days and 50–60 on non-school days, with occasional spikes to 75. Free activities include cooking classes, sports and gaming tournaments, cultural events and mini socials. Staff are coordinating with Redondo Union High School's School-to-Career program on tech-explorer volunteer work and plan to pilot a high-school tutor/mentor program for middle-school attendees.
Councilmembers praised staff and asked about recurring funding and additional uses for the center's stage, which currently lacks ADA access. Staff said onetime funds covered furniture and equipment while a recurring operational budget covers program costs; they will evaluate any future requests for capital work (such as a stage lift) through the capital-improvement process.
The council voted to receive and file the report.