The Woodstock Youth Center is a safe place for kids to play sports, get homework done, or just hang out and be kids. A new funding commitment from the town board aims to keep it that way. The board recently voted unanimously to set aside $200,000 in a new capital fund toward renovation or replacement of the aging facility.
The youth center, a former home purchased by the town decades ago, is in need of modernization or complete replacement. Its inside feels like a time capsule for anyone who grew up in the town, because little if anything in it has changed. It is a clean, safe place under the care of Patrick Acker, a 15-year town employee who started as a part-time recreation aide and worked his way up to be director.
Acker has worked in behavioral facilities, including the Children’s Home in Kingston and St. Cabrini Home.
The Woodstock Youth Center is drop-in. Kids are free to use the facilities, and many often walk into town to grab a slice from Catskill Mountain Pizza and come back.
“We have an attendance sheet where the kids sign in. It’s just to show the town that we’re utilizing the facility, and on average how many kids come here a day and stuff like that,” Acker said.
Some days, only a handful of kids show up. On a recent Friday, 62 kids did. “The numbers are up. Things are going well,” Acker said. “The majority of our kids that come here from the Onteora School District, but we are slowly getting more and more kids coming up here from Kingston because some of the parents will tell you that they don’t feel like there’s the same type of programs in Kingston, or they don’t feel as comfortable. We try to keep our door open for everybody in the community.”
Those using the youth center must be at least eleven years old. The age limit is 18.
“Technically when they turn 19 they age out, but I’ve hired kids that used to come here,” Acker said.
Those include Jordan Adler, whom Acker has known since he was nine years old and used to come with his parents to pick up his brother. He is now 21 and has been working for a month.
Another frequent youth center guest who became an employee was Zaia Martinez, who moved on to become general manager of Station Bar & Curio.
“I’ve known him since he was 15, 16 years old. He was working with me for probably about eight years, and literally just recently left because the Station offered him the full-time opportunity to run the bar. It’s more money, and obviously we’ve got to move ahead,” said Acker, who holds the only full-time position. “Everything else is part-time. So to bring people in, and to keep them for longevity, it’s a little bit difficult sometimes, but I’ve had good luck with the people that I’ve brought in.”
Kids who come to the youth center are from all walks of life, added Acker. “We’ll have kids that are from single homes. Kids that you know, we have kids that their grandparents are raising them. It’s just become a exactly what it is, a recreational facility. We have basketballs, we have all kinds of sports equipment here, footballs, baseballs, board games, video games, computers. Here’s a pool table, ping-pong table in the back. We have old arcade games and stuff like that.”
The skate park is in the process of renovation, including repairs of ramps and replacement of plywood.
The annual Earth Day cleanup is the youth center’s way of showing the community its appreciation for their support, to tell the taxpayers of Woodstock thanks, Acker said. “But that’s what I do all day long. It’s engaging with the kids. I try to be involved with what they’re doing.”
Whether it’s helping with a school issue or assisting with job applications, Acker and the staff try to help where they can. The youth center can be a gateway to job opportunities through the Ulster County Youth Employment program, where Acker can hire two to three kids every summer for five weeks. The county pays their wages. Some kids work at the youth center as part of required community service for high school civics class.
Acker said he just likes to be in the mix and see kids being kids.
“We’ll open up at two o’clock on Friday or Saturday,” he said. “We’re open till ten o’clock those nights, And some parents are like, I don’t know how you do it. And I’m like, Look, just at the end of the day seeing these kids leave and waving by hugging each other goodbye, that’s why we’re here.”
Acker just wants the youth center to be a safe place: “They’re supervised, but we’re not breathing down their neck. We’re giving them some room, but keeping an eye on what’s going on, and just letting them grow.”
The youth center is at 60 Rock City Road next to the Mescal Hornbeck Community Center. It is open Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday afternoons until 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. For information, call 845-679-2015 or email youthcenter@woodstockny.org.
Supervisor Bill McKenna is forming a task force to come up with a proposal for youth center renovation or replacement. If interested, call 845-679-2113, ext. 314.
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