‘There is no question about our need’
Meeting provides positive feedback on new youth, multipurpose centre
A community meeting to discuses plans for a new youth and multipurpose centre is being deemed a success
Brian Barron of Third Day Grace Ministries, who plans to bring Undercurrent Youth Centre to North Sydney, said overall the meeting provided lots of feedback with the majority being positive.
“We did have a few concerns that were brought up from our seniors and a neighbour in the community, they had some questions and concerns about safety issues, which I think is normal,” said Barron. “We did make a commitment to them that we would work with them and do everything we can to make them feel safe.”
Close to 70 community members attended the public meeting at the North Sydney fire hall on Monday. The meeting featured a presentation by David Sawler of Undercurrent Youth Centre. Residents also had an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns.
“We were expecting a bigger crowd, but I got email after email from people saying they wanted to attend but because of the time of the year and vacations, they couldn’t make it,” said Barron. “There is no question about our need, nobody at the meeting questioned the need for this centre.”
The idea for a youth and multipurpose centre came after Barron returned to Cape Breton after living in Beechwood, N.B., where he was a pastor for eight years.
Plans for the centre began eight months ago when Barron approached Baptist Housing Inc. with the goal of working out a deal for the former Fairview school, located at the corner of High and Brook streets.
Earlier this month, Barron was given final word that Baptist Housing would give the newly planted church an opportunity to buy the building. The group was given six weeks to raise the $35,000 needed to purchase the building and property, however, Baptist housing has since extended the deadline for another six weeks.
“Our first goal is we need to have the building first — without the keys we can’t apply for money,” said Barron. “To get occupancy of the building, not the whole building but at least half, we are calling it phase one where we are looking to raise money to put a new heating system in or add to the on that’s there as far as electrical goes.
“We need to eliminate the old heating source because that would be a large amount of money to try to run, so we want to put in some electric heat and continue with putting in some heat pumps.”
Barron believes close to $110,000 will be needed for the new heating system and heat pumps, as well as the indoor scooter and skateboard park, recreation room and operational costs for the centre for the first year.
“We are just a small group, but I think if we can all pull together and fundraise our goal is at first to get $35,000 to get the keys and then the rest will go to getting the heating done, getting occupancy and a couple of rooms done,” said Barron.
The group has already received a donation toward the project. Barron said the Sydney Mines Baptist Church recently donated $3,000.
Although no major fundraisers have been launched for the project, Barron said anyone wanting to make a donation is asked to visit the Third Day Grace Ministries Facebook page and click on the donation button link at the top of the page.
The group is planning to have another community meeting sometime in the coming months to update the public on the progress and fundraising.