Zanewood Recreation Center’s Summer Programming Looks Different This Summer

Summer programming offered through Zanewood Recreation Center in Brooklyn Park will still happen this year, just not at Zanewood Recreation Center.

The city broke ground on an expansion and renovation of the center earlier this year, and that construction means kids and teenagers can’t come to the space for normal programming.

Teens at Zanewood Rec Center play video games earlier this year.

“The teens will be housed in Hamilton Park. That’s where we will meet and connect,” said City of Brooklyn Park Teen Program Specialist Dystany Gatlin. “We’ll have our regular teen drop-in programs, like we have the XBox, we have the Playstation, we have all the fun board games, cool activities, our awesome youth workers that are looking to engage kids.”

Other programs the city is offering this summer include Get Rooted, the city’s first gardening initiative. It’s happening at Eidem Farm.

“It’ll be a great opportunity for the kids to see the animals that we have coming for the summer time,” said Gatlin. “The goats are always a hit, chickens, and also just an opportunity to get rooted with the dirt and grow their own produce and fruit.”

Gatlin also wants to use Thursdays to take young people in the program around to different city parks, as well as field trips on Fridays during the summer.

“I’m optimistic about this summer and really excited to come back to our new building after it’s done,” she said.

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