ROANOKE, Va. – The newly renovated Norwich Recreation Center officially reopened this week, now serving as the dedicated hub for Roanoke’s Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Unit.
The project also included the remodeling of an adjacent Quonset hut, which will house the “Champions of Change Boxing” program. Both renovations were funded by a state grant from the Virginia Safer Communities Program, which supports holistic strategies aimed at addressing the root causes of community violence.
‘A Space for Healing’
During a tour of the recreation center Wednesday, city officials emphasized that the building’s design was intentional, meant to create a welcoming and secure environment for the city’s most at-risk youth.
Mayor Joe Cobb, who served as a council liaison to the prevention unit before being elected mayor, said the space is critical to the program’s success.
“It’s so important in this kind of work that you set the right tone, that you have the right environment for people to when they walk in, they can take a deep breath,” Cobb said. “Any trauma, any chaos that they may be living in their life, they can hopefully let that go when they’re here.”
A Data-Driven Pivot to Reach High-Risk Youth
The new center is central to a strategic shift the Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Unit made in late 2023. Chris Roberts, the unit’s outreach coordinator, explained that after a difficult summer, his team analyzed its data and found its presence at large community events was not reaching the individuals most likely to be involved in gun violence.
“We made that pivot in September 2023,” Roberts said. “The most challenged people don’t come walk into your building; you have to find them.”
The demographic the unit now serves is stark. According to Roberts, 80 percent of the program’s clients already have some involvement with the juvenile justice system.
“Sixty-two percent of them have either been shot at or shot themselves,” Roberts said. He noted that since making the strategic change, the program has seen significant results. “We have not had anybody get shot, no one experiencing homicides, of course, and no one went to jail on new, additional gun charges.”
Restorative Justice and Private Spaces
A key feature of the renovated center is a private room designed for conflict resolution. Roberts said the space allows his team to mediate disputes before they escalate into violence. In several instances, he said, youth have made amends through community service or restitution instead of retaliation.
“If we can come to that agreement… as long as you’re willing not to move forward in aggression or violence,” Roberts explained.
The room’s privacy is essential, allowing families to meet with counselors and staff away from public view.
Partnerships in Prevention and Boxing
The project extends beyond the main building to the adjacent Quonset hut, now the dedicated home for the “Champions of Change Boxing” program. The initiative is a partnership with RESET (Rapid Engagement of Support in Trauma) and the Roanoke Police Department.
Lloyd Merchant of the RESET team said the boxing program provides youth with a constructive outlet. “We’ve worked hard on trying to get some things for these youth and young adults to do outside of some of the normal routine things that they are involved in,” Merchant said.
City Manager Bobbie-Jo Turner said the entire project shows the power of a unified vision. “This place is truly about impact and creativity,” she said. “It also shows the true nature of the employees of the city of Roanoke… to make it a true space where we can help families and children and youth heal.”
