Five months after the opening of the Area Four Youth Center, local youngsters are praising the effect of the facility on the community.

"This place keeps a lot of kids off the streets, and has them doing good things," says Tony Clark, a senior at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.

Between 30 and 50 youngsters aged nine and up use the facility on an average weekday, with many more attending on Fridays.

These numbers are expected to more than double when colder weather comes, says George Greenidge Jr., the director of the center and its only full-time employee.

The product of years of planning and advocacy by neighborhood residents, the $3 million facility located at 243 Harvard Street offers a variety of programs for the community.

The most popular activities at the center are pool, foosball and basketball.

Dona Ellis, 14, says she visits the center everyday after school "to play pool and hang out with my friends."

Though youngsters tend to prefer recreational activities, Greenidge says he hopes the center will serve other functions as well.

"Historically, it's been the sports program that's been the attraction, but we're focusing on education now," Greenidge says. "We hope to institute a study hour every day from 2:30 to 3:30 in the afternoons."

Greenidge also says that he wants to encourage students to try educational activities they might never have considered doing before. He says the center's drama and dance programs have been very successful.

The center has youth councils which during the recent city elections organized a set of questions and outlined a youth agenda, which they presented to the city council candidates. Young men and young women councils and a four-day conference on college preparation have also been organized.

"These activities give kids an outlet to talk about important issues," Greenidge says. "There hasn't been an avenue for these kids before."

The focus on student achievement has resulted in changes in site plans as well.

One room which was supposed to be a television lounge area is now awaiting grant money to make it a computer room for student projects and homework.

The center is also in the process of getting a stage for student performances and a stereo system to provide music for dance classes, Greenidge says.