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Drop-in centre relocates

Street Ties Youth Outreach has found a home.The drop-in centre for high risk and homeless youth has relocated to 4928 51st St., across from Potter’s Hands.

Street Ties Youth Outreach has found a home.

The drop-in centre for high risk and homeless youth has relocated to 4928 51st St., across from Potter’s Hands.

On May 28, fire gutted the building at 4712 51st Ave. where the centre had operated for about three-and-a-half years. The fire started on a second-floor exterior patio beside apartments on the west end of the building.

Parkland Youth Homes Society, which runs the program, has been searching for a location and reopened at its site in September.

“It’s a great location. It’s much bigger than the previous location that we had. There’s some different rooms so there’s the opportunity to run some different programs,” said Robecca Chahine, Parkland executive director.

Donations from Red Deer East Rotary Club will help Parkland pay the rent.

The centre has been serving youth by giving them access to computers, a bathroom, a shower, laundry facilities and other programs.

Chahine said Street Ties outreach workers were able to maintain contact with youth over the summer and since the centre reopened about 20 youth have regularly dropped by, with a few new faces.

Most of the girls who visit are 15 to 16 years old and most boys are 19 to 21.

“A lot of the young girls are back at school and have been bringing their homework to the drop-in centre and doing it there. It’s great to hear that.”

People will have the opportunity to see the new drop-in at a public grand opening from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 4.

“It would be nice for people to come in and see the space.”

Donation will be accepted for the Red Deer Food Bank.

Street Ties operates is open to youth on Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com