Deskin Activity Center reopens after renovation

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Austin does not like being at Child Haven.

What 12-year-old boy would choose a facility for abused and neglected children -- even the rustic tree-lined cottages of Child Haven -- over a loving home?

Still, Austin says, the two periods he has spent at Child Haven have been made a little less stressful by the pool table and other games at the facility's recreational center.

That's why he was happy the Ruthe Deskin Activity Center was renovated and reopened Tuesday. The rundown building had been closed about a year, resulting in events that were regularly held there being moved to places like the rec center, rendering that facility unusable for the things he enjoys.

The Deskin Center is an arts and crafts and multipurpose facility named for the longtime SUN assistant to the publisher.

"When I was here last year, it was really messed up," Austin said. "It looks real nice now."

When any of the aging cinderblock cottages off Pecos and Bonanza roads are shut down for renovations, other on-site facilities have to house more children. As a result, resources are stretched, including the rec center, a staff member said.

For the thousands of kids under 18 who have been sheltered at the campus in the past 24 years, losing the use of the fun facilities is just one more letdown in short lives that have been mired in disenchantment.

"It's kind of tough being here -- I really don't like it," Austin said. "My court date is next (week). I hope I am allowed to go home with my mom. I've been here a long time, at least a month this time."

Austin's friend Vinnie, a 13-year-old first-time resident of Child Haven who also has been at the facility about a month, says the days away from home have given him a chance to think.

"The thing I like about this place is that you can take the time to try to figure out what your life is all about," he said before Tuesday's dedication of the renovated building.

"And you can get help here if you are willing to listen to what they (instructors and counselors) tell you."

Deskin, who was on hand for Tuesday's ceremony, said she was happy to see the building named for her has been spruced up.

"This is wonderful for the kids," she said. "You should have seen how rundown it was."

Deskin noted that the spaciousness of the main room is a plus, especially to those who attend events such as the annual children's Christmas show, where "we were practically sitting on each other's lap."

Donations of cash and services for the center's renovation totaled $35,000, including a $25,000 gift from the Greenspun family. Several members of the family, including SUN Publisher Barbara Greenspun, Editor Brian Greenspun and Vice President Danny Greenspun, were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Kaufman and Broad, a home builder, supplied the services of its personnel and subcontractors for the interior repairs.

"We went public with our need and Jay Moss from Kaufman and Broad stepped forward with an offer to renovate the activity center," said Adrienne Cox, assistant director of the Clark County Department of Family and Youth Services.

"In addition to providing space for children's activities, the (building) will house a training center for volunteers and foster parents."

Earlier Tuesday, the Clark County Commission issued a proclamation to the Greenspun Family Foundation, thanking the family for the $25,000 contribution.

In making her presentation, commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates called Barbara Greenspun the "engine that really drives the train."

Gesturing to the other family members at the dais, Greenspun replied: "The train has a lot of cabooses."

Acknowleding his mother's ability to marshal the troops, Brian Greenspun said, "She's the one with the whistle, and when she blows it, we show up."

Others who made donations to the Deskin Center renovation: Sherwin Williams (paint), Drywall Systems (drywall installation), McConnell Cabinets (cabinetry work), Carpet Barn (new carpeting), Johnson Electric (new lighting fixture installation), Distinctive Marble (new counter installation), Colours Inc. (design work), Clark County (funding of architectural engineering work).

The Child Haven campus opened in 1972, replacing the Shay House on East Bonanza Road, which had opened in 1966 and often was called Child Haven. The original Child Haven, then known as the North Ninth Street House, opened in 1962.

Each year, hundreds of children are brought to Child Haven by police or Child Protective Services and are held in protective custody.

Unlike the youths housed in nearby Juvenile Hall, the children of Child Haven are there through no act or fault of their own. They are not accused of any crimes, but rather are victims of physical violence or other forms of cruelty.

Each of the six cottages on the site houses 12 children. Most of them are kept there for a few days to about a month. After that, children are either returned to their homes by a Family Court judge or are put into foster care.