PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — From playing pool to hanging out with friends, the Pinellas Park Teen Center offers teens like 14-year-old Olivia Latham a place to spend their summer.
Olivia is one of around 40 teens in the center’s summer program.
It’s for kids 13-17.
“Having our own building is like such a big impact because it just feels more welcoming,” she said.
Assistant Administrator of Leisure Services for Pinellas Park, Kellie Gilmore, said the teen center opened in November.
She said it’s important for kids this age to have somewhere they can go and still have structure.
“There’s not a lot of spaces that they can go to and just be dropped off and have a good time, hang out with their friends,” she said. “So I think it’s a nice blend of being able to hang out but also getting their input.”
Some Tampa Bay police agencies and state leaders are raising concerns about so-called “Teen Takeovers.”
These gatherings of teenagers have led to fights, and this past Sunday, a shooting in Clearwater.
At 14, Olivia said there aren’t many places she can go on her own.
She said the Teen Center offers her and her friends a place to thrive.
“There’s sports events, and there’s parks, but this is different because this is social,” she said.