PCS on News Center Maine
- Barrett Takesian
- Oct 30
- 2 min read
In an age of screen time, community hubs become lifelines for connection
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Author: Pearl Small
Published: 7:28 PM EDT October 16, 2025
Updated: 7:50 PM EDT October 16, 2025
PORTLAND, Maine — Going into a library, coffee shop, or park and striking up a conversation once felt natural. Today, digital life too often replaces those chance encounters — but experts warn it's not nearly enough for real connection.
Social media can replicate communication, but not always what keeps us healthy. That's where community spaces come in — and in Portland, one is making a difference.
What began as a squash program blossomed into a versatile community hub. Portland Community Squash (PCS) aims to be a "third place" — not home, not work — but somewhere people can just be together.
They offer squash courts, fitness classes, academic support, wellness offerings, a café, and coworking space.
PCS practices sliding scale membership pricing to reduce financial barriers.
Before starting at PCS, one teenager said, "I would literally just come back from school… nothing to do."
Kids participating in PCS programs say it gives them a place to socialize, play games, or even study after school. Parents also use it for exercise, English classes, or making social connections.
"This is the life that we all envision for ourselves and our communities. This is the preventative medicine that the public health community has been talking about for a long time," said Barrett Takesian, executive director of PCS.
We're seeing a decline in accessible "third spaces" across the U.S. In 2021, just 56% of Americans reported having access to such a space — that was already an 11‑point drop since 2019.
The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that loneliness and social isolation are mounting public health crises. One advisory states that disconnection can lead to mental health issues, cardiovascular disease, and even raise mortality risk similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
"We all want to have happy, healthy lives, right? And being socially connected is a core part of that," said Matt Wellington, associate director of the Maine Public Health Association.
Later this October, the Maine Public Health Association's annual conference will center on "Connections Build Health." PCS will be spotlighted, along with other programs reaching into rural and northern Maine, where options may be more scarce.
Wellington said many people simply don't know these programs exist, but once revealed, they can cut across age, identity, and geography.