The football and marching band season for Comstock Park HS is wrapping up. Will hangs out in the basement, and teenagers routinely troop through the house to join him down there. I like knowing where he is, but I wish there were more places for kids to go, hang out, and socialize.
Here's a liability nightmare of an idea: why not a "bar" for kids?
What were my tween/teen hangouts? Arcades with Pac-Man, pinball, a snack bar, and the bare minimum. ShowBiz Pizza for Friday night dances, which were immediately lame after the age of 15. AllSkate with a hardwood skating rink and concessions. There was one dance place up the hill from AllSkate, but I wasn't allowed to go there since the kids from other high schools hung out drinking cheap booze and getting into fights. Cruising the Ave, which was basically driving along Michigan Avenue and stopping at various parking lots to hang out with friends until the cops chased us away.
So far as I can tell, CP has none of that; it's mostly kids hanging out at each other's houses, going to the movies, or (Pia) sneaking off to the GVSU apartments for off-campus parties. Even Oscar, Felix, and Diego would go to school events, come hang out here, and then run to McDonald's, where they were for only a short time.
That's cool.
So create a destination for kids to hang out and chill. I have no idea what is cool, but provide charging stations for their phones, TVs connected to PlayStations and X-boxes, conversation areas, and a non-alcoholic bar to get smoothies, coffees, and stuff like that. In the garage, a small stage for high school bands to have a place to play, with the opportunity to throw those bay doors open for a larger crowd.
Do kids even put rock bands together anymore?
Oh man, I hope this doesn't sound like lame mom ideas.
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