Longtime director of J. Babe Stearn Commuity Center terminated

Tim Haverstock (Haverstock Facebook)

CANTON, Ohio — Longtime Program Director/Exeutive Director of the J. Babe Stearn Community Center, Tim Haverstock, has been terminated, according to his social media.

"To the many friends, partners, and community members who have recently reached out asking about my “retirement” or an upcoming celebration: I need to set the record straight.
​I did not retire. After 45 years of continuous service to the J. Babe Stearn Community Center, I was terminated by the Board of Trustees," said Haverstock.

Also, according to his post, he has been involved with the center for 45 years and served the youth in that same community on the southwest side of Canton.

He played a pivotal role in advancing community development initiatives designed to enhance both the center's operations and the quality of life for residents in the adjacent neighborhoods, and it was the long-time home of Canton Mighty Mite Baseball.

The center originally began operating in the 1940's as the Canton Police Boys Club on Navarre Road SW, founded by Sgt. Don Bole and Officer Jack "Babe" Stearn, and was formed as a community organization in 1950.

The organization moved to its current location on 13th Street SW in the 1980's and dropped its direct police ties, and was eventually renamed to honor Officer Stearn.

In 2023, the facility officially partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Canton, where it currently houses youth basketball, volleyball, and after-school programming among other services.

Also, the center is under construction of the Youth Development Park, which would involve installing a synthetic turf field, something Haverstock championed. "Over the last decade, I championed the effort and raised every single dollar to bring the new synthetic turf field to reality," elaborated Haverstock.

According to reports, Assistant Director Susan Turner and Steve Norch will take over daily operations of the center on an interim basis.   

An email seeking comment from the J. Babe Stearn Community Center was not returned by publication time.