City pledges funds for new quarters on Parc Ave.

Montreal is pledging more than $1 million to help Sun Youth in its move to a new location this fall, the city announced Wednesday.

The money, a total of $1,145,000, will pay for the non-profit’s rent at their new headquarters for the next three years, said a statement from the city. Their new location will be 6700 Parc Ave., just 600 metres away from their current St-Urbain St. headquarters.

Last spring, the Commission scolaire de Montréal, which owns the former Baron Byng High School that has served as the organization’s headquarters since 1981, announced it would be taking back the space, said Ernie Rosa, Sun Youth’s property management director.

Since then, they have been searching for a space that would meet all of the organization’s needs. Rosa said that has been particularly tricky considering their desire to stay in the pricey Plateau neighbourhood, where property rents for $60 to $80 per square foot.

He said it was important that they remain close to JeanneMance Park, where their football program is held. The bonus of the new location is that they are just one bus ride away from both the Place-des-Arts and Parc métro stations, Rosa said.

Sun Youth will also be renting space in the city-owned Maison Blanche building on the corner of Mont-Royal and Parc Aves. for about $25,000 per year, which will also be covered by Montreal’s pledge. The city will foot the bill for required renovations to the building, though they did not say how much that is expected to cost.

While the pledge still needs Montreal city council’s final approval, Rosa said they hope to be in their new space by October.