Youth Center organizers seek place

Efforts on the part of the members of the Alleghany County Ministerium to find a location for youth to gather have come to a standstill after learning the funds needed to purchase property off of U.S. 21 were out of the financial reach of the organization. Despite this, however, Thom Burleson, former president of the Ministerium, stated recently that the members of the organization are not giving up hope.

"The property, it looks like, is at a price that we probably cannot afford," Burleson said of the former ADAP property, 3.2 acres of land located off U.S. 21 north near The Ship's Wheel. "We thought it (the purchase of the property) was attainable...(but) by the time we got firm numbers, it was far too far beyond anything we could do." Despite rumors to the contrary, Burleson denies the price of the youth center project was increased due to an interest of having a skateboard park on the property.

"It was pure and simple economics," he explained. "It's just unfortunate. I don't hold any ill will, it's a business decision. (However,) it is, of course, a major setback in that it was an ideal location and everything."

Burleson pointed out an option to the lack of location would be to purchase a piece of property and build on it.

"It would probably cost a little less to build on it," he commented, adding, "If another site looks available, we'd probably start working toward that again."

Despite the setback, a mission to create a countywide youth council is in the works.

"We're still moving forward and trying to do a unified youth ministry, it's just not going to have a location at the moment," Burleson said. "It's (the youth center) an idea that is just too important to give up on. This one didn't work out, but something else might be on the horizon. We aren't giving up. It just didn't go as we'd hoped."

In the early months of 2007, Burleson stated there are plans in the works to allow the youth in the county to gather together for a "fun type event.

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