The real opening of Manhattan Youth’s Downtown Community Center will be a quieter affair than the politician-studded grand opening in April.
On Mon., June 2, programs at the 28,000-square-foot community center at 120 Warren St. will officially begin. The center will host a swimming session for parents and young children at 10:30 a.m., followed by a “Swim & Steam” for seniors at 2 p.m.
“[The seniors] are all so excited — it’s fabulous,” said Bob Townley, director of Manhattan Youth, sounding nearly as excited as the seniors he described.
Throughout the summer, the center will roll out programs for young families, children, teens and seniors. Parents can drop elementary-age children off on Friday nights or Saturday mornings for “play dates” that include swimming, art and free reign over the game room. Teens can come to the community center Friday nights to have dinner, swim and hang out with their friends.
Downtown Day Camp, also run by Manhattan Youth, will hold activities in the community center this summer. Elementary schools will have their graduation parties at the community center, just like they used to do on Pier 25, back when Townley ran the pier. Several local groups have already met at the community center, and Community Board 1 is holding its monthly meeting there on May 27.
“It’s becoming a community center,” Townley said.
The teen and senior programs are free, in keeping with Townley’s philosophy of serving the neighborhood’s most vulnerable populations. The programs for young families and elementary students are $100 a month.
Anyone who signs up for the programs can also attend “Cafe Society,” an informal gathering of community members around the center’s cafe, which sells snacks and drinks. The cafe is not otherwise open to the public.
The fall will bring adult cooking classes, swims and dances, along with daytime music and movement classes for young families, early drop-off for local elementary students, a full arts program for teens and fitness classes for seniors. Manhattan Youth will also start using the community center for its after-school program this fall.
Townley still has more to do before June. He has some occupancy permits but still needs to get the main one. The staff needs to learn how to control the pool and ventilation systems. And some furniture is still missing.
While the center could use more donations to cover operating costs, “We’re moving towards it,” Townley said. “We remain optimistic. At Manhattan Youth, we always have an optimistic bias.”
–Julie Shapiro
