About The Station: Castlegar Youth Centre

The idea for a Youth Centre in Castlegar has been around for a long time. Back in 1993, a group formed and registered as a non-profit organization called YOUTHSPEAK . For years this group of youth and adults held information sessions, fundraisers and events in order to raise the profile of youth needs in the community and lobby for a Youth Centre. The City of Castlegar awarded Youthspeak a $500 Grant in Aid for the group to work on a business plan and send out proposals for support. There are many youth who have come and gone, businesses, individuals and organizations who did their part in making the dream come true. You know who you are and YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR EFFORTS.

Learn more about our Plans, Hopes & Dreams...

First Phase: Kootenay Columbia Child Care Society received funding to purchase the building and lot for $155,000. Funders were: Vancouver Foundation, Real Estate Foundation of B.C., City of Castlegar, Selkirk Lions, Pope & Talbot and Castlegar Savings Credit Union.

The Second Phase: To renovate and set up the interior of the Youth Centre - major funders were HRDC, Ministry of Advanced Education, Training & Technology, Millennium Fund (300,000 was requested and $125,000 was granted - $37,000 of these funds went into the research and architectural costs of building an indoor skatepark (phase three) - the remainder was utilized in the renovations) and many other financial and in-kind contributors, all listed in the audited financial statements .

The proposed Phase Three was to be an indoor skateboard park. After expending $37,000 of the Millennium fund, Kootenay Columbia Child Care Society was given the total material and labour cost estimates for an indoor park - $414,000. With the Youth Centre just starting out, the board and staff of KFP realized that they needed to focus on getting The Youth Centre stable and could not expend the time and effort to raise such a large amount of money at that time. This was confirmed when they were notified that they could not obtain the necessary insurance coverage on The Station property for a skateboard park.

Thankfully, since then the Castlegar Skateboard Association has been formed and the completion of the new outdoor skatepark happened this summer.

Healthy children, youth and families are essential to the health of the community. Communities and neighbourhoods need to see that the health and well-being of youth are their collective responsibility.