STILLMAN TENNIS CENTER

It’s the dead of winter and dark by 4:30 in the afternoon. But just down the street, behind the gym at Charlestown High, is an enormous, glowing hive of activity.

Inside the Stillman Center, the voices of children and shouting of coaches and constant sound of racquets hitting tennis balls create a wonderful, buoyant noise that seems to keep “The Bubble” inflated.

Mayor Thomas Menino, a strong advocate for the Stillman Center and its programs, recognized the importance of the indoor/outdoor facility as a safe haven for children of all ages who needed a place to go to after school, on weekends and during the summer months.

But The Stillman Center doesn’t just give them a place to go. It gives them the opportunity to play the great sport of tennis. Over the years, countless young boys and girls have learned the life lessons of teamwork, perseverance and good sportsmanship on these very courts.

Any resident of Boston, young or old is invited to use the facility. For more information, call 617-635-5169.