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3 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Saturday, April 18, 2009 Town cues up second youth centre in Bronte By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Mayor Rob Burton is out to rack up some youth centres for Oakville's young generation. The new Bronte Youth Centre -- which is the second of what the mayor and council hope will be many youth centres across town -- was officially opened Thursday night. The first facility, the Oakville Youth Development Centre opened on Cross Avenue in 2002. The Bronte centre actually opened its doors in January. It had 100 youths registered in its first few weeks and attracts upwards of 20 teens a night, according to Kim Lavecchia, Recreation Assistant Youth Services with the Town's Recreation and Culture department. The new Bronte Youth Centre comes a decade after the first attempts to get a youth centre in town, and in the Bronte area, failed because of strong neighbourhood opposition in just about every location proposed across town. The Cross Avenue centre, which now has about 800 registered users, finally opened in a commercial unit across from the Oakville GO Station. The Bronte centre has a storefront location in Bronte Plaza at 2296 Lakeshore Rd. W. It is steps from amenities like fast food restaurants and coffee shops, which were already attracting local teens, and near a previously-proposed location, which was nixed by neighbourhood opposition because the proposed location would back onto residences rather than Lakeshore Road. Lavecchia, who has moved from the Oakville centre to operate the new Bronte centre, said Burton was responsive when the needs of local youths -- and a survey of what local teens wanted in a youth centre -- were put before him. "The mayor picked up on it and made it one of his priorities and he's done a good job," said Ward 1 Councillor Ralph Robinson, who was involved a decade ago when a committee was formed with St. John's United Church to find a youth centre location in town. Similarly, resident Joyce Wood, who was a proponent of a youth centre in the early 2000s when she chaired the currently dormant Bronte Community Consultation Committee (CCC), a group of local residents and businesses that liaises with police, was happy to see the centre open. "Look at the smile on that face. She can't believe it's actually happening," observed Oakville District Halton Regional Police Inspector Jackie Gordon of Wood's elation at MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER ON CUE: Aabed Farag plays a game of pool with Mayor Rob Burton at the official opening of the Bronte Youth Centre. seeing the centre finally open. "The community was able to demonstrate the need and the mayor listened and made it happen," said Gordon, adding the police had given the Town a list of areas that would benefit from the presence of a youth centre. Those areas included Bronte, Palermo, Kerr Street, the east end and the area around Oakville Place, said Gordon. She said the community has witnessed vandalism and loitering that occurs through boredom of youths and recognized the need to provide something for young people to do in town. Gordon said the police experience is that most youths are good people. "Only a few kids cause problems. The majority are excellent and I will make sure the new Village Constable (Jen Dewar) stays on top of these problems," said Gordon. Wood said the new youth centre shows youths the community cares about and values them. Resident Wendy Walker was at the opening with her 13-year-old daughter Hannah who is in Grade 8 at Pinegrove and spends a lot of time at the centre. "Most of the time, you really come for the people," said Aabed Farag, 17. The Grade 11 Abbey Park High School student is doing a coop placement at the centre. He was also a regular at the Oakville youth centre and now the Bronte centre because the new one is closer to home. "Sometimes we have nothing else to do so we just come here. You meet new people, new friends and meet people from different schools," said Farag. Robinson said the Bronte location is more suitable than the proposed Queen Elizabeth Park centre because it is in the heart of Bronte Village and closer to amenities. Burton shied away from accepting the kudos landed on him, saying it was Town Council's will to make it happen. "We're piling up a great record of achievement of getting things done for the community," said Burton. The mayor echoed Ward 1 Councillor Alan Johnston's call to establish a youth centre in every ward. Ray Chisholm, Town recreation services manager, said two were in the proposed Town budget, but were deferred until 2010. The new youth centre, set up in a retail premises that has had numerous past uses, needed a lot of elbow grease to transform it from being rundown to a bright, 3,000-sq.-ft. space, but it all came together for under $75,000. Town staff estimates it will take about $150,000 annually to maintain. It has one fulltime and part-time staff and a five-year, renewable lease. The centre is for teens aged 13-19 years old. It offers a wide range of programs and services such as homework help, resume writing and job search workshops, community volunteer opportunities and free activities including movie nights, cooking/baking classes. The Oakville Public Library (OPL) offers a book centre where teens can take out books and return them, without a library card. They can also access the free library resource websites, including a teen-specific site, by using the centre's card, according to Elise Cole who heads up OPL's teen services. The centre has the on-site library, computers with Internet access, a big screen TV with surround sound, gaming system with video games, a foosball table and a pool table. The Oakville Optimist Club donated funds to help purchase some of the centre's equipment. The centre is open on a drop-in basis. Currently it operates Tuesday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 3 to 11 p.m. As of May 1, Lavecchia said its hours will expand -- Tuesday to Thursday from 3-8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 3-11 p.m. Next fall, the Yard program for youths with special needs will begin running in 12-week blocks at the centre. Teens are made aware of activities throughout town at the centre, and news of the centre is at local schools, recreation centres, libraries and malls. For more information about the Bronte Youth Centre and volunteer opportunities, contact Lavecchia at 905-582-3592 or klavecchia@oakville.ca. SHUTTERS Shop at Home Service CALIFORNIA & PLANTATION FREE SHUTTERS ETC.