New youth learning and fun center planned for downtown Blackfoot

BLACKFOOT — With the help of local volunteers, many of them teenagers, Blackfoot businessman Cesilio Silveira is working to bring a new youth-focused learning and gathering center to downtown Blackfoot.

The center, currently being established at 79 W. Pacific Street, is designed to serve youth of all ages as a welcoming space where they can learn new skills, receive tutoring, socialize, and simply have a safe place to spend time.

Plans include tutoring services, challenge courses, skill-building classes, and recreational activities such as ping pong, pool, and old-fashioned board games. A TV lounge, free internet access, and light snacks and drinks are also part of the vision.

“This is meant to be a safe haven,” Silveira said. “A place where people feel welcome, where they can study, read, hang out, or just have fun while learning something new.”

Silveira is teaming with local businesswoman and property owner Mary Morrison, who shares his vision and supports the project through her nonprofit, “Art from the Heart Center, Inc.”

The goal is to open the center by mid-February, initially open seven days a week with limited hours, and to expand as programming and staffing grow.

An east Idaho native, Silveira said revitalizing downtown Blackfoot is a big part of his motivation.

“I want to see Blackfoot come to life,” he said. “This area has a lot of history, and I am grateful to have a space downtown where we can build something positive for the community.”

Silveira, the partner and CEO of S3 Marketing Agency, said the idea for the center originated from conversations with local youth. He noticed a desire for practical, real-world knowledge, including topics not always taught in school, such as how to file taxes, buy a house, start a business, or plan for life after graduation.

To meet that need, Silveira plans to offer courses by enlisting the help of volunteer instructors, retired teachers, college students, and circuit teachers, while also working with local school districts to complement existing educational programs.

“My vision is to get local youth involved and help them plan for their future,” he said.

That youth involvement is already underway. Silveira recently formed a youth advisory board led by 17-year-old Kinsie Thatcher, a senior at Blackfoot High School.

“I think this is a great idea,” Thatcher said. “I can see firsthand how to start a business, and I am excited to help shape something from the start that can really help kids here.”

Both Silveira and Morrison emphasized that the new learning center is separate from the Blackfoot Community Center and is not intended to be competition. Instead, they hope to partner with it, especially for larger activities such as arcade games or laser tag that require more space.

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“Eventually, we would love to see two centers in Blackfoot,” Silveira said. “But for now, the focus is downtown and getting people excited about what this space can become.”

Community members interested in volunteering or donating items such as pool tables, pinball machines, or other recreational equipment can contact Silveira at (208) 709-6519.

Morrison also welcomes suggestions for the new center on Facebook’s “Life in Blackfoot” page.

“This is about motivating students who want to see change,” Silveira said. “And giving them a place where they can help create it.”

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