THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410250118
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Arson remains the suspected cause of a fire that destroyed an unfinished recreation center in Willoughby, but fire investigators are no closer to finding the arsonist.
The new facility on Willoughby Bay at the end of Little Bay Avenue burned down Oct. 9.
The blaze caused $80,000 worth of damages to the planned one-story structure. According to an official with the city's department of Parks and Recreation, everything was lost in the building except for the pilings that the building sits upon.
``It was definitely a set fire,'' arson investigator Forest Parham said. ``The problem now is we don't know who. Any information would be helpful.''
The new center, designed to include a kitchen, meeting rooms and a public restroom, would have replaced the 60-year-old Captain's Quarters recreation building that was leveled in 1990.
Laura Lyons, Willoughby Civic League president, said she was shocked when she learned the unfinished building had been destroyed. But she said she was not surprised when it was suggested teenagers set the center on fire.
``They say it was teenage arson,'' Lyons said. ``I do think it was burned because our kids have nothing to do.''
Though she believes boredom is not an excuse for arson, Lyons said when youths have nothing to do they may turn to criminal acts.
Former civic league president Lee Singer said that when teenagers have nowhere to go, they will find things to do that are sometimes questionable.
``There's no youth fields where they can play ball - no place for youths to congregate, to amuse themselves,'' Singer said. ``Unless you have an outlet for your aggressions and energies, it's bound to be on the questionable side of what's right.''
The recreation center would have been a partial solution to teenagers' lack of activities in the area, Lyons said. She said she was hurt when she saw a child being interviewed on television about the building.
``I heard one of the little boys say `I hate to see it burn down because we have nothing','' Lyons said.
``It's a shame that it was burned down, but it's a bigger shame the city had not kept its commitment to the neighborhood,'' said Singer, who added that the center was supposed to have been completed last year. ``It could have been that people got tired of seeing (a sign saying) under construction . . . and listening to promises by the city.''
The delay in the center's construction, Singer said, indicates that the city is not interested in providing outlets for youths.
``These are the leaders of tomorrow, and they're being ignored for the tourist attractions downtown,'' Singer said.
Youths ranging from ages 12 to 15 comprise the majority of youngsters in Willoughby, Lyons said. Many loiter in the area because they have little else to do.
``This summer some people felt threatened by groups of children roaming, but not recently,'' Lyons said.
Officials said the building was insured by the city, and plans are under way to begin reconstruction soon. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
This is all that remains of what was to be a new recreation center
at the end of Little Bay Avenue in Willoughby.
by CNB