Members of the community flocked to the grand opening of the Teen Center on Sunday Sept. 15. The event featured speeches by school social worker Paul Epstein (2), Representative Joe Kennedy (3) and Michael Dukakis, as well as live music and food from local eateries. Photos by Giovana Castro.
Paul Epstein, President of the Brookline Teen Center’s Board of Directors and a social worker at the high school, said last year of the BTC’s future, “There’s no end to the possibilities if you let your imagination run a little bit.”
That door of possibilities for teenagers in Brookline has been pushed wide open with the grand opening of the BTC, which took place on Sept. 15.
The opening signified a new era for Brookline teenagers, said teen intern Govind Srivastav. The occasion, attended by hundreds of people, recognized those who made this achievement possible and the building that will house this new age. With a constant stream of people, music and food, the atmosphere was one of expectation, realization, appreciation and joy. One of the most delighted people at the opening was Representative Joe Kennedy.
“I am extraordinarily excited to see where this goes,” Kennedy said. “It is a testament to Paul Epstein’s work and to the community. And you can tell from the packed house today that they have succeeded and certainly gone beyond my wildest imaginations. This moment is one of those things that makes it a joy to represent the town of Brookline.”
In addition to Kennedy, many other notable figures attended the opening, including Peter Gammons (Major League Baseball analyst), Theo Epstein (former general manager of the Boston Red Sox and current general manager of the Chicago Cubs) and Governor Michael Dukakis (former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee). In addition, the BTC played a video message from television host and Brookline native Conan O’Brien.
Many individuals and organizations were thanked throughout the course of the three-hour ceremony, including Kaplan Construction, the company that built the over-10,000-square-foot complex, which contains candlepin bowling, a music recording studio, a gym, dance and fitness areas, arts and creative space, an academic wing and a game room, cafe and performance space.
Also recognized were the teenage interns. According to Epstein, the interns were vital and expended huge amounts of effort and time to make sure that the BTC and the project overall would appeal to others of the same age.
“The most important people who have been part of this journey over the course of the past eight or nine years are the teenagers of Brookline,” Epstein said. “Without them, this would not have happened.”
According to Dukakis, while there were numerous contributors to the project, there were none so important as the trio of Matt Cooney, Paul Epstein and the Pilch family.
Cooney, the first full-time Executive Director, supplied hours of work to ensure that the BTC would complete its last step from a dream to a reality. The BTC was the brainchild of Epstein, without whom even the possibility would be nonexistent. The Pilch family, who initially wanted to make their contribution anonymous, made the largest donation yet: over two million dollars.
Kennedy predicted great success for the BTC.
“Obviously there are incredible attractions for teens here,” he said. “The biggest problem is going to be trying to get them to go home, not trying to get them to come.”
Located at 40 Aspinwall Ave. in Brookline Village, the BTC has free membership through Dec. 31, and a policy that no youth will be turned away due to financial hardship.
Eoin Walsh can be contacted at [email protected].
