the teen center is a POSITIVE asset in the community. New Canaan is a small town with few options for Teenagers on weekends. The Teen center offers a wonderful alternative for our Teenagers to have a place to hang out, participate in fun evening activities and events. It is also a wonderful resource for adult programs as well. Please do not cut the funding. The Outback is a very important and special place
C
Connie Piotroski
12 years ago
Featured
Most towns around us fully fund their teen centers and New Canaan's town funding only covers a fraction of the teen center's operating costs. It is very difficult to provide all the services to the teens in the community when much of the focus has to be fundraising to simply cover ones operating costs.
L
Lynda Stewart
12 years ago
This is such a great asset to our town but more importantly our kids. It's nice to know there is a safe place for our kids to "Hang" without parents. Please keep this great center alive.
K
Kim Matthews Greer
12 years ago
Dear "Anonymous Anonymous",
The Outback in no way supports or is a "safe haven" for illegal drinking, etc. There has been proper supervision (at these high school dances that I believe you are referring to), but given the lack of parental supervision (i.e. a parent should be driving their child to and from these occasional dances and therefore should be aware and take responsibility for their child and not drop them off at a dance if they are drunk) there have been some problems. There has always been a police officer present and attendees are checked to make sure they are not bringing anything into the dance. Because a few people arrived at the dance having just consumed too much alcohol they seemed "normal" when they were admitted but after a while the drinks kicked in and they were kicked out (or more specifically had their parents called to pick them up and in a few cases an ambulance was called as those supervising the event wanted to err on the safe side). It is extremely unfortunate that a small number of people marred events enjoyed by so many. I believe with more parental responsibility and unfortunately more chaperons to deal with those that do cause a problem, these very popular dances would continue to offer our high schoolers a very needed place to blow off steam. By not giving young people a bit of space it actually encourages some of them to binge drink...New Canaan tops the list of a lot of wonderful things, but it also tops the list of a national poll for underage drinking and binge/abusive drinking. You can not blame the Outback for that.
K
Kim Matthews Greer
12 years ago
Our town already supports our teen center at an incredibly low level...less than !0%. It must continue it's commitment and at some poin in the future when budget allows, seriously considering increasing the funding.
N
Neil M McDonnell
12 years ago
This is the only place in town where all kids with different interests can get together, relax and have fun in a safe environment. My kids look forward to going there every week.
C
christine simmons
12 years ago
The Outback is a important to our community as a place
A
Anonymous Anonymous
12 years ago
I certainly do not ratify the funding of the Outback Teen Center. The Outback has been a recent threat to the safety and judgement in our community. The Outback has had a multitude of issues regarding the abuse of alcohol by minors. These events should be halted, as the Outback is not setting an adequate principle for those who attend these dances. Students are not responsible enough to be trusted without proper supervision during these highschool dances, or "raves" as referred to in the highschool atmosphere. It is absolutely unacceptable for the Outback to be used as a "safe haven" for teens to illegally drink, among other things. If we allow the Outback to continue, then we not only endanger the safety of our children, but the prestigious reputation of this community. The town is not making a mistake by discontinuing the funding of the Outback. As a community, we need to see the non-stoping issues that are occurring at the Outback.
R
Robert The Greatest Hoover
12 years ago
I went there once and there was free food, and that's pretty sick so we should keep it
A
Anonymous
12 years ago
keep this open
A
Anonymous
12 years ago
NC kids need this ish, more dances more fun
D
Dan Radman
12 years ago
The Outback is a great asset to the Town of New Canaan and is part of what makes our town unique. If addiitonal funding is required to keep the Outback going, why not reduce the over $6 million increase that the Board of Ed approved for next year. We will be losing a valuable part of New Canaan, just so the Board of Ed can meet "union contract obligations".
E
Eleanor Harrison
12 years ago
We all enjoyed it when we were younger why deprive all the others
L
Lauren Perone
12 years ago
The Outback has been a huge part of my life for 6 years. It is so important to me and my friends. It is a great community in town that we cannot loose.
H
Henry Greer
12 years ago
The Outback is vital to the youth!
S
Susanna Anderson
12 years ago
Featured
The Outback offers unique opportunities for our teens that are not offered elsewhere in town eg backing and fashion design courses. It is also a much needed place for our teens and pre-teens to socialize in a safe and friendly environmentally. It is a sad indictment on our town that the pathetically small support it offers is going to be cut.
J
Julie Tedford
12 years ago
Support the Outback!
M
Michelle Riley
12 years ago
The Outback is a fabulous resource for our community.
H
Heather Moore
12 years ago
Save the Outback! Needs more community awareness. I wasn't aware of how much it has to offer but my middle schooler will love them!
Thanking you for doing this!
the teen center is a POSITIVE asset in the community. New Canaan is a small town with few options for Teenagers on weekends. The Teen center offers a wonderful alternative for our Teenagers to have a place to hang out, participate in fun evening activities and events. It is also a wonderful resource for adult programs as well. Please do not cut the funding. The Outback is a very important and special place
Most towns around us fully fund their teen centers and New Canaan's town funding only covers a fraction of the teen center's operating costs. It is very difficult to provide all the services to the teens in the community when much of the focus has to be fundraising to simply cover ones operating costs.
This is such a great asset to our town but more importantly our kids. It's nice to know there is a safe place for our kids to "Hang" without parents. Please keep this great center alive.
Dear "Anonymous Anonymous", The Outback in no way supports or is a "safe haven" for illegal drinking, etc. There has been proper supervision (at these high school dances that I believe you are referring to), but given the lack of parental supervision (i.e. a parent should be driving their child to and from these occasional dances and therefore should be aware and take responsibility for their child and not drop them off at a dance if they are drunk) there have been some problems. There has always been a police officer present and attendees are checked to make sure they are not bringing anything into the dance. Because a few people arrived at the dance having just consumed too much alcohol they seemed "normal" when they were admitted but after a while the drinks kicked in and they were kicked out (or more specifically had their parents called to pick them up and in a few cases an ambulance was called as those supervising the event wanted to err on the safe side). It is extremely unfortunate that a small number of people marred events enjoyed by so many. I believe with more parental responsibility and unfortunately more chaperons to deal with those that do cause a problem, these very popular dances would continue to offer our high schoolers a very needed place to blow off steam. By not giving young people a bit of space it actually encourages some of them to binge drink...New Canaan tops the list of a lot of wonderful things, but it also tops the list of a national poll for underage drinking and binge/abusive drinking. You can not blame the Outback for that.
Our town already supports our teen center at an incredibly low level...less than !0%. It must continue it's commitment and at some poin in the future when budget allows, seriously considering increasing the funding.
This is the only place in town where all kids with different interests can get together, relax and have fun in a safe environment. My kids look forward to going there every week.
The Outback is a important to our community as a place
I certainly do not ratify the funding of the Outback Teen Center. The Outback has been a recent threat to the safety and judgement in our community. The Outback has had a multitude of issues regarding the abuse of alcohol by minors. These events should be halted, as the Outback is not setting an adequate principle for those who attend these dances. Students are not responsible enough to be trusted without proper supervision during these highschool dances, or "raves" as referred to in the highschool atmosphere. It is absolutely unacceptable for the Outback to be used as a "safe haven" for teens to illegally drink, among other things. If we allow the Outback to continue, then we not only endanger the safety of our children, but the prestigious reputation of this community. The town is not making a mistake by discontinuing the funding of the Outback. As a community, we need to see the non-stoping issues that are occurring at the Outback.
I went there once and there was free food, and that's pretty sick so we should keep it
keep this open
NC kids need this ish, more dances more fun
The Outback is a great asset to the Town of New Canaan and is part of what makes our town unique. If addiitonal funding is required to keep the Outback going, why not reduce the over $6 million increase that the Board of Ed approved for next year. We will be losing a valuable part of New Canaan, just so the Board of Ed can meet "union contract obligations".
We all enjoyed it when we were younger why deprive all the others
The Outback has been a huge part of my life for 6 years. It is so important to me and my friends. It is a great community in town that we cannot loose.
The Outback is vital to the youth!
The Outback offers unique opportunities for our teens that are not offered elsewhere in town eg backing and fashion design courses. It is also a much needed place for our teens and pre-teens to socialize in a safe and friendly environmentally. It is a sad indictment on our town that the pathetically small support it offers is going to be cut.
Support the Outback!
The Outback is a fabulous resource for our community.
Save the Outback! Needs more community awareness. I wasn't aware of how much it has to offer but my middle schooler will love them!