In 2013 the Soldotna Teen Center opened its doors a couple days before Christmas and is continuing a strong operation.
Senator Peter Micciche helped get the Teen Center going.
Sen. Micciche: “Well remember we started that I think seven years ago with a survey to the community and you get those responses but you really don’t know until the rubber hits the road whether or not it’s a service that people are going to use and if it’s going to be a healthy facility, if it’s going to be active and I’ve been extremely pleased.”
He said the last report he saw stated that the Soldotna Teen Center’s daily average has surpassed the Kenai Teen Center’s.
Sen. Micciche: “I doubt it will live there forever in that particular location if the program continues to grow we’re going to have some constraint but for now we have a positive safe place to go for kids on the Kenai, kids in Soldotna after school and on weekends.”
Although there’s never a lot of cars out front indicating how busy the center is, Senator Micciche explained what it’s like to stop by there.
Sen. Micciche: “Stopping in there, swinging by, there’s a lot going on, a lot of studying, a lot of video games, playing pool and they’re just enjoying each others’ company with quality programs of the Boys and Girls Club.”