Brooklyn Park’s New Teen Center Celebrates ‘Massive’ Investment in Youth
Construction on Brooklyn Park’s new teen center, known as The Wood, is finally complete. The project triples the size of the Zanewood Recreation Center and gives teens and young adults a larger place to hang out, exercise and learn job skills.
“There were some residents who said, well, that’s too far away, I don’t know about that neighborhood,” Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston said during a ribbon cutting ceremony March 2. “But the vast majority of people in Brooklyn Park said that is an excellent place to have that facility, we’re excited for it, it makes sense. Let’s watch those kids grow up, run, and run the world.”
Brooklyn Park leaders and a Minnesota sports legend gathered on Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the $10 million project, which was funded largely through grants and a 2018 park bond referendum.
A new gymnasium is one of the many features of the Brooklyn Park Teen Center, located at 7100 Zane Avenue N in Brooklyn Park.
The expansion adds 27,000 square feet to the Zanewood Recreation Center and includes a new gymnasium, dedicated spaces for arts and mentorship and a Best Buy Teen Tech Center.
Best Buy describes the space as “a place where teens can develop critical skills through hands-on activities that explore their interests in programming, film-making, music production and design.”
An assist from the Thielen Foundation
Former Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen and his foundation donated $100,000 to the project. He says providing resources like this teen center is a way to tell kids their community believes in them.
“You talk about helping youth reach their full potential, you think of resources and opportunities,” said Thielen. “This is a space that creates both of those: resources, beautiful resources, beautiful opportunities with the programming and the space to be able to do [that] programming. It’s a perfect opportunity to help these youth be at their best and to be who they want to be.”
City officials say the Zanewood Recreation Center will serve more than 50,000 people annually through programs and other events.
Meanwhile, the city is still waiting for construction crews to install an elevator. The center should be fully open to the public by late March.
Former Vikings’ wide receive Adam Thielen, whose foundation donated $100,000 to the project, is joined by his family at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Brooklyn Park Teen Center on March 2.
Related: Brooklyn Park Celebrates Groundbreaking of Teen Center Expansion
