A Northport substance abuse awareness and prevention group is proposing a teen recreation center called 'The Right Combination Community Center' (TRC) above The GAP at 83 Main Street.
Tammy Walsh, a Northport High School Math teacher, leader of the Northport Community Book Club, and member of the Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force said the need is pressing.
"I hear it from the kids over and over again: there's nothing to do," said Walsh. "When I was little, we had the roller rink and the movie theater and now all of that's gone and everything comes at a high price."
Walsh is proposing a combination recreational center and boxing gym for teens and young adults to channel their energy in a positive way. The facility would have a boxing ring and heavy bags, as well as a supervised recreational area with couches, refreshments, and physically interactive video games like Wii and Kinect.
Boxing is a very individualized, focused sport, said Walsh, unlike team sports that revolve around competition within a group and may leave a kid feeling left out. She said the teens would not spare with each other in the ring, but rather work with a trainer using mitts, a feed bag, and the heavy bag.
"It's a way for them to get their frustrations out because sometimes kids don't cope well and that's one reason why they turn to substances, to self medicate."
Walsh said the gym would keep fees low for kids college age and younger to maintain accessibility. Adults would be able to join, but would pay a higher fee.
She and her organization are currently seeking corporate funding and will be holding fundraisers in the near future.
"We've gotten some donations," she said, "but we definitely need a lot more."
The group will be proposing the idea to the Northport Zoning Board at their next meeting. Find out more about the Northport Community Book Club here.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
