Teens celebrated the reopening of the Youth Resource Centre (YRC) at its new location at Oceanview Education Centre recently.
Over 40 youth and parents were given tours of the new space, met centre staff Renelle Wikene and Lindsey Hatt, and learned more about the centre’s activities.
“We saw a lot of new faces at the grand opening,” said Rhiannon Tully-Barr, a member of the core group of teens that has been attending activities since the centre opened in its original location on Joyce Avenue two years ago.
Wikene said the location change has been hard for some of the youth that attended activities regularly, but they are “warming up” to the new space now that the furniture and decorations from the old centre are set up.
The old location closed its doors in January after the Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services Society (PRCYFSS) ran into difficulty finding funding for the program.
School District 47 stepped forward to provide space at Oceanview Education Centre and PRCYFSS received funding from Powell River Community Forest Ltd. to pay for renovating the old grade eight science classroom.
PRCYFSS secured a $50,000 government gaming grant that will ensure the centre has operating funds guaranteed for one year. Although the Joyce Avenue YRC was open four days a week, the new centre will have reduced hours.
“One night a week is what we’re looking at now,” said Wikene. “Hopefully in the future we would like to see that grow.”
Although her program will only be open Thursdays from 3:30 to 8 pm she anticipates other groups will open the space up for youth other nights of the week.
Hatt is a Vancouver Island University student who is working this summer for PRCYFSS and is spending part of her time helping Wikene organizing events.
“With our programing we’re going to try to implement new things,” said Hatt, “and keep some old programs that have been favourites.”
This summer the centre is offering a wide variety of activities, like karaoke, acting, arts and crafts, blackberry picking and baking, jam nights and campfires at Willingdon Beach.
In addition, time will be offered for youth to play basketball or other sports in the Oceanview gymnasium and to gather to talk about issues that are important to them.
“We want to encourage all youth of the community to come here,” said Wikene. “The bigger the numbers the better it is for the kids.”
The YRC runs programs for high school-aged youth 12 to 18 years old. For more information about the centre, readers can call 604.485.3090.
