A more than decade-long vision to make Penticton Youth Centre accessible for all has come to fruition.
The centre 鈥� which hosts four local youth-serving organizations at 501 Main St. 鈥� has raised $300,000 for its elevator project following a donation matching campaign.
"We are humbled by the generosity of community members, the undying commitment to the collaboration of our youth-serving agencies, and most importantly, the spirit and courage of our youth," said Aaron McRann, CEO of the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan, which owns the youth centre. "Now this first-in-class youth centre will be accessible to youth of all abilities, and we couldn鈥檛 be more proud."
In a press release, the community foundation says adding an elevator has been a key part of the youth centre's vision for several years.
More than 1,000 youth benefit every year from the centre, which hosts OneSky鈥檚 Foundry Penticton, YMCA, ARC Programs, and the Ministry of Children & Family Development鈥檚 Child & Youth Mental Health.
鈥淥ur journey with the youth centre began in 2013 when we partnered with the United Way and other community partners to launch the Youth Engagement Strategy (YES) Project," said McRann. "It鈥檚 hard to believe that 12 years has gone by, but I鈥檓 certain that everyone involved back then would be amazed at how far youth services have come."
The campaign aimed to raise $300,000 before March 31. Thanks to a pledge from a private foundation outside the region, the raised amount will be tripled to $900,000.
鈥淭his is a significant step forward for early intervention to work with the youth of Penticton," said Trevor Nelson, fundraising chair for the campaign. "These grassroots programs and early intervention can change the trajectory of a young person鈥檚 life, potentially those who may be forced towards homelessness or substance use."
The elevator project will "significantly" enhance the centre's space while providing a safer and more inclusive environment, the community foundation added in a press release.
"Service providers will no longer need to adapt to accommodate those with mobility challenges, as the space will be built to welcome all youth," it added.
