Greenwich Hospital officials say they’re interested in providing health education programs at The Hub, the former Outback Teen Center building in downtown New Canaan.
Part of the Yale New Haven Health System, the hospital was approached by The Hub, the local group led by New Canaan’s Bob Albus that’s seeking new and financially viable uses for the building that also will serve the community, officials say.
“We are not looking to invest financially but we are exploring opportunities with Bob to potentially—if funding comes through on his side—to do some health education programs for the community,” Dana Marnane, vice president of public relations at Greenwich Hospital, told NewCanaanite.com when asked about the discussions.
Those programs could cover topics such as cardiac care, maternity and those focused on youth or their parents, such as addiction and cooking classes that address healthy eating, she said.
It isn’t clear how often the hospital’s programs would run or how the leadership of the Hub’s board of directors views the prospect in terms of the structure’s financial viability.
Albus could not immediately be reached for comment.
The Hub owns its building and is seeking to operate it in the parking lot behind Town Hall under an existing, nominal lease with the town. The Town Council is scheduled to hear an update from The Hub during its regular meeting Wednesday night.
It’s been almost one year since the Outback Teen Center closed, unable either to make enough money to self-sustain or convince town officials to support a re-imagined, broad program that went beyond serving just teens.
In January, Albus in an interview with NewCanaanite.com introduced the concept of The Hub and described revenue-generating activities such as tutoring and babysitting. A board formed around him and set about garnering wide community support.
Yet efforts to do that appear to have fallen short so far. An online campaign to raise $25,000 has banked $2,670 in three months, with a substantial portion of that money raised by board members themselves.
Town officials informed Albus in October that the $50,000 annually he was then seeking from the town was not forthcoming, emails show.
Instead, during the budget season ended, officials decided that in fiscal year 2017, $10,000 would be placed into contingency for the Hub, with the Health & Human Services Commission “requesting a presentation after six months showing the full business plan and a progress note about operations.”
“The Commission will then decide about the funding,” according to a note in the budget.
Part of The Hub’s plans included offering space downstairs at its building to a nonprofit organization that serves developmentally disabled adults, though it appeared that arrangement also would yield no revenue for The Hub.
Asked about the situation, First Selectman said that he had met with Albus and another director, that they talked about the organization’s viability and that he “strongly recommended” they go before the Town Council “to discuss their latest proposal.”