RECenter Programming Is Criticized
The director of the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter, Glenn Vickers, on Tuesday told the town board that plans are in progress to revamp the center’s youth programs, but the ideas haven’t won unfettered approval.
According to the East End New Leaders, a group of politically active young adults that supports, among several platforms, the expansion of programs for kids and teenagers in the region, the RECenter needs to provide more space for activities other than working out at a gym.
Basically, kids need “a place to be kids” that’s unstructured and fun but also safe, according to Walker Bragman, a member of the group.
Mr. Bragman, who said he used to hang out at the RECenter before it became affiliated with the Y.M.C.A., has said the presence of the gym equipment is “overwhelming,” and the East End New Leaders want less of it there.
“It doesn’t seem to be for kids,” Mr. Bragman said. “We are happy with the new programs that Mr. Vickers is pushing for kids, but the program-based approach is only part of the equation. The real thing that kids need is a space to be kids, because they’re in programming from 7 a.m. to 3 in the afternoon. . . . It would be great for them to have a place for them to socialize. You can be creative in a space where someone’s not telling you what to do.”
In an interview Tuesday night, Mr. Vickers, who was appointed to head the RECenter in January, disputed the idea that the kids’ needs will not be met. Since January, he said, “we’ve been getting the entire infrastructure in line to be able to enhance all of our programs.” He declined to mention specific programs but said they include sports, arts, and robotics as well as workshops on leadership and self-esteem.
“We’re actually really excited about the updates and programs that have already started now and will be completed in September,” Mr. Vickers said. The East End New Leaders “came right in the middle of all these program changes that were taking place anyway. The feedback is all welcome. We’ve met with senior groups; we’ve met with aquatic groups. Everyone has their love and interest for the Y.M.C.A.”
In a presentation Tuesday morning to the town board, Mr. Vickers outlined one of the RECenter’s flagship programs, called Leaders and Lemonade, in which kids ages 12 to 14 meet with adult mentors for weekly workshops on real-world topics like communication, leadership, money, the environment, and more.
On Tuesday, as that group met in areas that were crammed with exercise equipment, Mr. Vickers cited safety and security as the reason for declining a reporter’s request to ask the children themselves what they would like to see in a youth program.
“This group is the kids being able to direct the ship in terms of what’s being added here,” he said. “They’ve come through the Y.M.C.A. program. The fun part is that everything we’re doing right now is exactly what they’re looking for, in terms of adults who can listen to them, who can help facilitate healthy conversation . . . self-confidence, self-esteem, anti-bullying.”
The RECenter sits on land donated by the Village of East Hampton and was originally constructed as a youth center largely funded with donations and grants raised by the now-defunct East Hampton Youth Alliance. The $4 million facility opened in 1999 and at the time was free for children to use. By 2001, it was on its fourth director. The town now owns the building and supports the RECenter in its budget, with other operating costs drawn from Y.M.C.A. membership fees.
Supervisor Larry Cantwell acknowledged that the Y.M.C.A. now “serves a much broader constituency in town,” but said he feels the RECenter is doing a good job.
“It’s not a question of what they should or shouldn’t be doing, or a criticism of the Y in any way. It’s just what evolved over time,” Mr. Cantwell said Tuesday afternoon. “What comes out of these discussions should have a positive impact on the community. This should not be a divisive issue.”
Councilwoman Sylvia Overby said yesterday that Mr. Vickers is “a breath of fresh air,” and she is confident that he will listen to the concerns of the community.
“I think that some of the kids, the older teens, feel a little left out right now,” she said. “I’m glad Mr. Vickers heard yesterday that there is concern in the community. . . . The kids really just want a place to socialize. I’m hopeful that the Y will come back to some of that.”