It's over to you

IT doesn't look much at the moment - just the boarded-up wing of a primary school that has been empty for more than a year. Inside, one of the rooms is being used to store a lawnmower and goalposts for the nearby playing field. Other rooms are empty, with an air of dereliction.

But that is about to change.

Most of what used to be Oaken Grove Primary School in Haxby is to be pulled down to make way for homes. But this wing of the school - the newest part, built about ten years ago according to Eddie Benson of the Haxby and Wigginton Youth and Community Association - is to be saved and converted into a new community centre.

Under a deal with City of York Council, the association has signed a 99-year lease for the building, which also features a floodlit sports area and playing field. The idea is to give bored teenagers in Haxby and Wigginton a place they can make their own.

Conversion work on the building will begin this month and it should be ready for use early next year. The plan is for adult groups - everything from keep-fit classes to pop-in sessions for older people - to use the centre during the day.

But the late afternoon and evening, says Eddie, will be dedicated entirely for use by children and teenagers. "This puts us in a unique position, because we are not aware of any other community centre in the country which puts young people's needs first," he says.

A great idea in theory. But across York - and probably the country - teenagers have been shunning traditional youth clubs as boring. "We don't want to be playing table tennis every evening," points out 14-year-old Craig Minton from Haxby.

So how can the community group ensure this new centre will be different? By getting teenagers themselves involved in designing it, decorating it - and deciding what it should be used for.

Already, the youth and community association has consulted hundreds of teenagers, sending out forms to local schools such as Joseph Rowntree and Easingwold.

More than 350 forms were returned, and from that, the association has drawn up a rough plan for the centre.

There will be an Internet caf, with five computers linked to the net and a coffee and snack bar, a small administrative office, plus two good-sized rooms which will be used for a range of activities chosen by teenagers themselves.

Suggestions so far include a chill-out zone; a live rehearsal and performance space for staging events such as a Haxby 'battle of the bands'; an editorial office for a music magazine run by teenagers - and even a graffiti wall.

There is also talk of laying an astroturf playing surface outside - and even, possibly, of developing a skateboarding area.

"There is huge, huge demand for that," says Eddie, "and nobody else is prepared to provide it."

Little apart from the Internet caf idea has so far been finalised, however. And while the formal consultation is now over, Eddie is keen for teenagers to come along and tell him what they would like the centre to be used for - and then help to design and decorate it.

"We have sent out hundreds of leaflets, but what we want to know is whether what we are proposing to do it right.

"And if there is something else you would like us to do, come and tell us," he says. "Older youngsters, 15, 16, 17, think youth clubs are not for them. Yet, if you talk to them they say 'we just want a place to chill out'. Well, if that's what they want, there will be a place for that.

"We are not laying something on for them. We are saying: "this is yours, what do you want to do with it?"

The Evening Press asked four teenagers for their ideas:

Hannah Lowe, 16

"It has to be more appealing than other youth clubs. There would have to be different nights for different ages, and somewhere to sit and listen to music.

Live bands would be a good idea, instead of just the kind of dance music you get at a disco - and perhaps a chance to learn to be DJs. The Internet caf-bar is going to be really good, and I'd also like to see a homework club. It would be easier if we had our own place to study."

Laura Dunn, 16

"Everybody is saying there is nothing to do, but when they are offered something, they don't seem to want to do it! You can't force anyone to do anything, so all you could do is say this is here, then give them the time of their life if they come.

This is theirs, so they've got to say what they want here. I would like to see a homework club where people can come to do some serious study. It is more fun together. We need to decorate it the way people want it decorating, so they want to come here. You could have a big mural along one wall - ask them to design a wall and then have it put in."

Craig Minton, 14, a member of In 2 Musik, who meet every Wednesday evening to produce their own music fanzine

"I would like a lounge, where you can sit and listen to music. You could paint it pale blue and green, and have some comfy sofas and dim lights. The computer caf is a good idea, and it would be good if we could have football, tennis and probably rugby as well outside. We've done two copies of our fanzine already, mainly CD reviews, and we're going to try to review some live gigs as well."

Chris Smith, 14, another member of In 2 Musik

"It would be good to have our own little room to produce the magazine.

We could do question and answer pieces, who's going to be on at Fibbers. Having a place here to put on live gigs would be really decent, and it would be good just to have a place to socialise, a place to ourselves. A homework club would be good, too. I don't particularly enjoy doing it at home."

If you have suggestions for the community centre, or would like to be involved in decorating it, call the Haxby and Wigginton Youth and Community Association on 01904 769176. Adults and teenagers alike are needed to help out.

Updated: 12:11 Wednesday, October 22, 2003