Thielen Foundation Donates $100K to Brooklyn Park Teen Center
A project aimed at helping Brooklyn Park youth is getting a big boost, and it’s all thanks to a former Viking and his foundation’s connection to a local nonprofit.
The Minnesota Chill Foundation does much of their youth programming at the Zanewood Recreation Center in Brooklyn Park. Last year, Minnesota Chill Foundation co-founder Cindy Hill invited representatives from the Thielen Foundation to tour the Zanewood Recreation Center.
The city is planning to build a new gymnasium and teen center at Zanewood, but was seeking additional funding sources to fulfill the grand vision.
Two weeks after visiting the recreation center, Hill got a phone call from the Thielen Foundation and received some exciting news.
“The Adam Thielen Foundation, they want to help us with this project, and they want to make a donation to us for $100,000,” Hill said. “I cried at that point because I knew that this is going to be a great game-changer for our youth and our community.”
Construction on the project will begin sometime in the spring.
A rendering of the new teen center at the Zanewood Recreation Center in Brooklyn Park.
“If you can imagine a brand new, two-story building right on top of the basketball courts will be the new teen center, the new gymnasium where we’re looking to do all types of different programs,” said Marcus Hill, the parks and facilities manager for the city of Brooklyn Park. “Sports programs, sports teams and training, and really just offering a safe space for our youth to be able to play basketball, play pickleball, play volleyball and learn a number of different sports with each other.”
The official check presentation will happen at the Jan. 6 Brooklyn Park City Council meeting.
Meanwhile, Thielen — who currently plans for the Carolina Panthers — is a candidate for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. You can cast a vote for him on the NFL’s website.
Related: Brooklyn Park Approves Funding To Expand Zanewood Rec Center
