CENTER SITE BEING SOUGHT IN NEWHALL NEW FACILITY TO BE CONSTRUCTED.Byline: Heather MacDonald Mac·don·ald , Sir John Alexander 1815-1891. Canadian politician and the first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada (1867-1873 and 1878-1891). He is considered the organizer of the Canadian confederation, established in 1867. Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - The City Council agreed Tuesday to begin looking in earnest ear·nest 1 adj. 1. Marked by or showing deep sincerity or seriousness: an earnest gesture of goodwill. 2. Of an important or weighty nature; grave. See Synonyms at serious. for a new location in Newhall for the city's Community Center. The council members endorsed plans that called for the teen center to be housed in temporary quarters for at least two years while a new facility is built in downtown Newhall. ``There will be a new community center,'' said Councilwoman Laurene Weste. The center - a converted warehouse on San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the - is so crowded and in such disrepair that several mothers have told the City Council that their children are at risk. ``Please don't put the kids and the teens in another warehouse,'' said Rosa Hernandez. ``Give them somewhere to play.'' The center, which is the home of the city's award-winning boxing program, offers an assortment assortment /as·sort·ment/ (ah-sort´ment) the random distribution of nonhomologous chromosomes to daughter cells in metaphase of the first meiotic division. as·sort·ment n. of after-school programs including ballet folklorico, and is designed to keep teens out of trouble. ``This center is an embarrassment to this community,'' said volunteer Bob Hall. ``The kids call it the ghetto center, and they're right.'' The center, which serves about 250 families, opened in 1994 after Newhall residents petitioned the council for a way to combat gangs and high crime in the area. The city rents the 7,000-square-foot facility for more than $100,000 a year, but the roof needs repairs there have been persistent problems with rats, officials said. ``It would be irresponsible ir·re·spon·si·ble adj. 1. Marked by a lack of responsibility: irresponsible accusations. 2. Lacking a sense of responsibility; unreliable or untrustworthy. 3. to put more money into that site,'' said Councilman Bob Kellar. The council is considering whether to move the center into a warehouse on land next to the Jan Heidt Metrolink Station while a new center is built on undeveloped land near San Fernando Road and Valle Del Oro. ``Both of those properties have challenges, drawbacks and benefits,'' said Rick Gould, the city's director of parks and recreation services. City officials estimate it would cost $240,000 to bring the 11,000 square foot warehouse into compliance with city's codes, and cost more than $1 million to purchase the new site near Valle Del Oro. Weste endorsed plans to house the center temporarily in the Theater Arts for Children building on Walnut street A number of streets are named Walnut Street:
``That would have a public benefit for the entire community,'' Weste said. |
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