New youth center taking shape in Palmer

PALMER — For years the space at 105 S. Valley Way in downtown Palmer served as the showroom for Hartley Motors. Now the 1940s-era building is getting a face-lift in preparation for a new life as The YAK, a new youth center spearheaded by Lazy Mountain Bible Church.

Andy Miller has been a full-time youth worker in the Valley for 12 years. He’ll manage the youth center once the remodel is complete and its doors are open, which won’t be until summer 2014.

Now the focus is on rewiring the space, installing a new heating system and bringing the whole space up to code, Miller said. The renovation will cost about $35,000, he said.

Although this effort began on Lazy Mountain, support for the idea has spread to include several Valley businesses. Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union is onboard. The credit union told Miller to “install the furnace and send us the bill.” A local farmer echoed that reply; upgrade the wiring and send him the bill, Miller said. Spenard Builders Supply also is supporting the effort with donated materials such as wood and Sheetrock, he said. Local folks also have donated construction of the stage and snack bar for The YAK and a coffee maker.

Still to fund is the sound system, necessary permits, new doors and windows, stools, a popcorn maker and constructing a new exterior door landing, Miller said.

The nonprofit also needs regular givers to cover $3,500 in monthly operation costs — people who want this resource for their kids, Miller said.

“We’re not making money on kids,” he said. “So, we’re going to need support from the community.”

Miller is a Valley-grown community asset; he and his wife graduated from Colony High School in 1998. Now their four sons are growing up here, attending local schools and will some day hang out at The YAK as well, Miller said.

“The teenage years are a super important time,” he said. “Teens need to hang out, to socialize away from mom and dad.”

A safe place for teens

The YAK — shorthand for Youth of Alaska — is not a day care or a media center. There aren’t even plans for a television in the place.

But there will be pool tables, foosball and ping-pong tables, a snack and coffee bar, a small stage, couches and tables and chairs. Rather than the latest video gaming system, Miller said The YAK will have a selection of board games. It will have Wi-Fi connectivity, but it won’t provide connected devices.

“Anybody and everybody, all kids are welcome,” Miller said. “You are welcome here if you are going to treat this place and the people there with respect.”

Imagine driving by the big glass windows on the Hartley Building on a cold, dark winter night. As you pass, you see teens inside strumming guitars, shooting pool, playing ping-pong, chatting and laughing.

That’s the sort of place Miller imagines The YAK will be, a safe place for youth ages 11 to 18 to hang out after school, to play games and do homework.

“What we can do with music, the arts and outdoors programming is really limitless,” he said, adding he also has his eye on the skate park across the street as a resource. Miller said he’d like to bring in a summer intern who could teach skateboarding while mentoring youth.

While Miller will manage the facility, it also will rely heavily on volunteers. He said volunteers will be carefully picked to be part of the effort.

He said the idea is to create a space in the community that is for kids and good for kids.

“Parents aren’t home after school until 5 or 6 p.m.,” Miller said. “They need somewhere in the community to connect and be productive.”

Though The YAK is months away from opening its doors, Miller said he’s already getting requests from other areas in the Valley to open youth centers there.

“If this is just a home run, we’d like to see something like this show up in Wasilla and Sutton, too,” he said.

The goal is a thoughtful, sustainable effort, he said, one that will still exist to serve the community 10, 15 years down the line.

“We’re not in a hurry; we want to do it right.” Miller said. “We want this to be a great thing for Palmer.”

For more information, contact Andy Miller at 414-2373, follow The YAK online at Facebook.com/palmerYAK or visit youth-ak.com.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or heather.resz@frontiersman.com.

SUPPORT THE YAK

Palmer Arts Council has organized a concert to raise funds for The YAK from 7 to 9 p.m., Dec. 6 at Vagabond Blues in Palmer. Performing are Paul Holmberg with friends Dan Ryan and Loy Thurman. The five-piece bluegrass band Flintlock Special will open the show.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, seniors and military and are available at Fireside Books or Vagabond Blues in Palmer or online at conta.cc/1dlC0Rj.