West Vancouver Council has approved an interim Youth Services Hub at Park Royal South. The hub will be work out from that location for two years, providing some of the services and activities that formerly took place at the Ambleside Youth Centre.
The interim Youth Services Hub will be located at Unit 404, Park Royal South, the former location of Kin’s Market. It is accessible by transit, and, at 2,400 square feet, is large enough to provide a dedicated space for youth.
The Ambleside Youth Centre was closed in January 2019 for repairs due to roof failure. In early March, the District announced that the building was no longer suitable for public use and had to be permanently closed. In late March, the building was destroyed by a human-set fire.
Some programs and services were relocated to other dedicated youth spaces across the community, but there was a gap in services as not all programs and services were able to be relocated.
After school drop-in service, Friday and Saturday night drop-in service, special events and gatherings required a specific type of space which this interim site can provide.
Council allocated $250,000 from the Community Amenity Contribution Fund for the interim space for two years. The District will modify the space and anticipate opening the interim Youth Services Hub early in 2020.
The District is continuing to plan for a permanent Youth Services Hub with a target opening date in 2021.
“The loss of Ambleside Youth Centre has certainly been felt by our community,” says Mayor Mary-Ann Booth. “Council will continue to plan for a permanent Youth Services Hub in West Vancouver, but that will take some time. In the meantime, there is an immediate need and the Park Royal location provides us with an immediate response.”
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