Lehi's lone teen social program at the Legacy Center totaled four evenings in June and excluded anyone over 15. Anna Merrill made that case in an op-ed published Monday, Oct. 5, in the Lehi Free Press.

Merrill proposed the city survey teenagers through schools and online, then use spaces like Lehi Sports Park to host weekly or monthly events. Her suggestions include movie nights, art activities, game nights, open gym and volunteer projects, all free or low-cost.

"Lehi is growing, so creating this opportunity for teens to grow should be part of it," Merrill wrote.

The Legacy Center's 2026 "Teen Night" was the facility's only dedicated social programming for teens. The center's Instagram account listed two sessions in June: one for ages 13–15 on June 15–16 and another for ages 10–12 on June 17–18, each running 7 to 9 p.m.

The city's youth programs page caps the program at ages 10–15. No social programming is listed for 16- to 18-year-olds.

The Legacy Center does offer year-round youth sports, including basketball through 12th grade and volleyball from 3rd through 12th grade. But Merrill's op-ed focused on unstructured social activities for teens who may not play organized sports.

Lehi's growth adds urgency to the gap. The city added 2,386 residents between mid-2024 and mid-2025, ranking fifth in Utah for population growth, KSL reported, citing the University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. As of the 2023 American Community Survey, Lehi's estimated population was 90,229 with a median age of 26.6 years. In the 2020 census, 39.5% of residents were under 18.

That is a lot of teenagers.

Merrill also tied expanded programming to mental health, writing that a welcoming space where teens can build friendships "can help them feel more confident and supported."

The city opened a new Civic Center on April 13 at 200 North and 100 West. The building includes an 11,500-square-foot library with a dedicated teen area, quiet study rooms and a recording studio.

Lehi has not publicly responded to the op-ed's proposals. The Legacy Center's youth programs page includes a Program Proposal Form that residents can fill out and return to the Registration Office. The Lehi Youth Council, a city body open to students in grades 9–12, can be reached at [email protected].