By JULIETA PAITA
Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. Community Center, who recently celebrated their 21 anniversary, is now celebrating the opening of the new Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. Community Park. The park will be built at the rear of the property now used by Y.O.U.T.H. There is an extensive growth of trees, some small streams, and a protected rural type setting to be developed with campsites, benches, and a pavilion.
Last thursday, June 30, Sylvia Bolling, Executive Director of the center, staff, members and volunteers as well as the youth organized a groundbreaking ceremony.
The opening of the new park is the effort and work of many people, and funded by a generous donation from Ken Fisher, CFO of Noble Energy.
Noble Energy, a company on Beltway 8 and North Freeway has been one of the major leaders in this project. “We are here today to thank God for very special people (Noble Energy staff) He sent us,” said Bolling.
“We have a team in beautification service and projects, and we identified Sylvia and Aldine Y.O.U.T.H. as an unique and special organization,” said Ken Fisher, CFO at Noble Energy. “We came and visited her in January and she painted a picture of the park, we have been working hard to make this happen.”
At the park “we’ll watch movies in one of those big TV screens and you can bring your own lawn chair, we’re going to have concerts and do praying,” Bolling said.
The camp will also have a space for camping which can be used for boy scouts and girl scouts camping activities.
Ms. Bolling said she saw the need for kids to have a place to play. “We have 5 appartment complexes close by and kids living there just have a small piece of grass to play on,” Bolling said. “It’s not the same to play in the concrete.”
Ken Fisher said they are happy to be involved and hope the park provides many years of enjoyment to everybody.