After two years, youth center reopens

The Gualo Rai Children’s Park and Youth Center has reopened after being closed the past two years, giving CNMI youth more reasons to spend their after-school hours productively.

Ken “KC Lancheru” Concepcion, special assistant for Public Liaison Office and youth center coordinator, said the center opened yesterday for children and youth residing and studying in Precinct 3, which includes Puerto Rico and Gualo Rai, all the way to San Jose.

Concepcion said the center boasts of new and improved facilities such as a table tennis area and tennis and basketball courts. It also has a mini-gym.

The center has a computer room, with eight desktop computer terminals. Concepcion said that children could use the computers for free Internet surfing to support their research requirements in school.

Concepcion acknowledged the generosity of Brian Clayton, the owner and president of MegaByte, for the free upgrades and repairs of the eight computers.

Concepcion said the center now also offers after-school programs such as tutoring and homework assistance, at no cost to the children. He added that he is coordinating with the Joeten Kiyu Public Library for possible collaboration to provide reading materials to the center.

Concepcion said the center wouldn’t have reopened without the help of the local government and generous people such as Rep. Absalon Waki, who proved maintenance and a one-year supply of drinking water to the center. Waki also paid for the repair of the center’s water pump.

Most of the center’s properties are donations from the community, said Concepcion, and the center is still accepting more.

Concepcion said the center also has a facility for skateboarding enthusiasts, with a wider concrete area where skateboarders could perfect their skills.

“Skateboarders can come here because we have a big concrete area that they can use,” he said, adding that there are no cars that could threaten their safety.

He reiterated that the Gualo Rai Children’s Park and Youth Center is free. All parents have to do is visit the center and sign some forms to enroll their children for free ID cards. The ID cards will be presented every time the children enter the premises.

For more information, call Concepcion at 235-1299 or email him through lancheru@hotmail.com.