Children practice martial arts in the Tarmiya Education and Youth Center Tuesday during its grand opening.
1st Brigade Combat Team,
4th Infantry Division
CAMP TAJI -- The grand opening of the Tarmiya Education and Youth Center was held Tuesday morning in Tarmiya, north of Baghdad, to the elation of hundreds of local children who now have a place to play sports, read and paint.
The renovated complex is equipped with two full-size international basketball courts, a sand volleyball court, two soccer fields, an art studio, a library, a theater for plays and a place to practice martial arts for those who want to be like Chuck Norris.
“This project was made possible by the people of Tarmiya and the Americans,” said Sheik Said, the leader of the Tarmiya city council. “This center will not only help the community, but it will be very beneficial to the children as well.”
A team leader with 414th Civil Affairs Battalion feels the same way.
“This (the youth center) will help keep the children off the streets. It’s long overdue,” Capt. John Bennett said. His unit is attached to the 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
The center is a $200,000 refurbishing project that took about four months to complete. The walls, bathrooms and floors throughout the complex have been completely up-graded with a fresh coat of paint, sparkling tile and new fixtures. Rooms throughout the center have been set up specifically for children functions. In addition, the exterior of the center is surrounded by concrete walls, making it safer for the children who visit.
The project is part of a massive rebuilding effort taking place in the city, which used to be a hot bed for terrorists. Thanks to the 9th Iraqi Army Division and the 1st BCT the city is now more secure.
In addition to the youth center, improvements can be seen everywhere, such as the medical center, the town hall, a girl’s school, many of the roads running throughout the city, and a $2.4 million pipeline project, which will bring fresh water to Tarmiya later this year.
The youth center provides the children of the community a place to go.
“We noticed, when we first got here, there were a lot of kids on the street,” said Spc. Carlos Matos, a member of the 414th CA team that oversaw the quality of the work being performed on the project from the beginning. “It’s like a YMCA in the states, and this is a good start for the kids in this community and for their future.
“The kids have really been excited about this place opening up. Kids really love soccer in this part of the world, and this gives them a place to play,” he said.
Iraqi youths from Tarmiya play basketball at the $200,000 refurbished Education and Youth Center.
“I’ve been looking forward to this place opening,” said Attiya, 15, who was playing basketball at the center with his team, the Rockets, during the grand opening. “I like playing with my friends against other teams, and I think we have the best team in Tarmiya.”
The children of Tarmiya seem happy with the youth center’s opening, and community leaders said they are optimistic about what the center means to the area.