April 7, 2025, will be remembered as the day Brooklyn Park answered the call from its youth. With shovels in the ground and hope in the air, the city officially broke ground on “The Wood,” a state-of-the-art Teen Center at Zanewood Recreation Center — a long-awaited project fueled by purpose, passion, and people who believe in the power of our youth.
For Marcus, Facilities Manager for the Parks and Recreation Department of Brooklyn Park, this moment was more than symbolic — it was full circle. A product of the very park and rec system he now leads, Marcus began his athletic journey at Central Park, introduced to a variety of sports that shaped his early years. After leaving his position as Faculty Director at the Martin Luther King Center in St. Paul, he came back to the city he calls home with a vision: to develop initiatives that uplift and transform the lives of young people in his community.
“The Wood” is the result of that vision — and a collective effort by changemakers who’ve been working tirelessly behind the scenes. Among them is longtime advocate Cindy Hill, whose words at the council meeting echoed the urgency and deep need for this project: “The things that have been going on within our city with our youth, this is our time. They’ve been calling for help. We need to answer that call.”
The new Zanewood Teen Center is set to be a vibrant, transformative space, featuring:
- A full-length indoor basketball court
- A gaming lounge
- A Best Buy Teen Tech Center, equipped with a music studio and podcast studio
- Workforce development space to help young people build real-world skills
- An intervention room designed for counselors to support at-risk teens
- Renovated space for K-5 student programming
- An outdoor plaza and green space for events, community gatherings, and fresh air engagement
This project isn’t just about adding more rooms or resources — it’s about building equity, instilling hope, and creating safe spaces where youth can be seen, heard, and empowered to thrive.
The CHILL Foundation is proud to stand alongside the city, advocates, and leaders as we witness history in the making. This is more than a building — it’s a declaration that our youth matter.
