Manassas Park Community Center issues new policies for teen IDs

For more than six years, the Manassas Park Community Center has provided a fun and affordable place for teens to hang out after school and on weekends, whether they’re hanging out in the Teen Center, studying in the computer lab, dribbling and shooting on the basketball courts, practicing their backstroke in the swimming pool, or taking advantage of our many Teen Passport programs

MPCC staff hopes the many amenities have encouraged active and engaged teens while enriching their lives in a safe setting.

In a continuing effort to provide a safe and enriching environment, all teens, including those without memberships, will need to be issued a Manassas Park Community Center Teen ID in order to access the facility without a parent or guardian, beginning Oct. 17.

Community Center Teen IDs will be issued to teens between 12-15 years of age who have met one of the following criteria:

• Shows us their School ID and signs off on our Facility expectations

• Shows us a government ID and signs off on our Facility expectations

• Have a Teen Passport and sign off on our Facility expectations

• Parent/Guardian is present when teen signs off on Facility expectations

Once the Community Center Teen ID has been issued, a teen will be required to leave his or her Teen ID at the front desk when entering the building and retrieve it when exiting the building. Following our membership ID policy, there will be a $15 fee for lost Community Center Teen IDs.

A teen who is 16 years or older will have to show proof of age or school ID in order to gain admission for $2. We will not hold on to the ID while the teen is in the building.

We believe the new Teen ID policy will encourage teens to engage with staff more and inspire a more welcoming community. In addition, while providing light supervision, this new policy will also demonstrate the balance between independence and responsibility. We believe the combination of a welcoming environment with a set of clear expectations for young adults will inspire our teens to take a vested interest in the Community Center and their community.

We hope this process will help us to get to know our teen community better while also allowing us to continue to provide a fun, family-focused environment for everyone.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation and your patience as we implement this new policy.