Officials say new Glace Bay youth facility will be transformational for generations

New life is coming to the site of a former machine shop for the coal mining business in the heart of Glace Bay, N.S.

A ceremonial sod turning was held Friday in an empty field next to a parking lot and a well-used skate park to kick off construction of a $15-million youth and family centre.

The project is targeted at a community with an industrial past that officials say has one of the highest youth poverty rates in the province.

"The well-being of our children and our youth today is one of the best predictors of the well-being of our communities tomorrow," said Erika Shea, CEO of New Dawn Enterprises, a social agency that will run the new centre.

"And this project reflects the aspirations of the people of Glace Bay to have a future that is vibrant and healthy and growing and diverse and compassionate.

"This project represents ... a turn towards that different kind of future."

Federal and provincial funding was announced for the new centre two years ago, but the site selection stalled when a parcel of land under consideration was sold in a municipal tax sale.

Officials now say construction will start this spring on a 26,000-square-foot building that will include a new skate park, gymnasium, rooms for activities and training-in-life skills, a commercial kitchen and a café.

It's expected to be surrounded by new green space and is scheduled to open in 2026 at the corner of Union and Reserve streets.

The new centre's anchor tenant will be the Undercurrent Youth Centre, whose existing facility is at capacity.

Trevor DenHartogh, Undercurrent's interim executive director, said the community needs a larger, safe space for kids where the programming is offered at no charge.

"I think it's going to have a huge impact on the youth of our community being able to involve themselves in community sports and activities," DenHartogh said.

Kyle McPhee, treasurer for the Island Skateboarding Association, grew up at the nearby skate park and said the new building will have a profound effect on area youth for "generations to come."

"I'm just stoked to see it come to life. I think it's a long time coming and a lot of people have put a lot of hard work into this, and I'm really excited to see where it goes," he said.

McPhee said just having a new building that's safe and accessible can change lives.

"It sounds pretty minimal when you say it like that, but the impact from that alone is huge," he said. 

"It'll just grow the community in a positive way and give kids something to do and somewhere to be when they're not in school and keep kids out of trouble and doing productive things."