Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre will open its doors to the public in mid-January with regular hours after it received $19,530 from the City of Red Deer.
The one-stop shop for crime prevention received the one-time funding from city council in October.
The money was earmarked mainly for staffing, as well as some program costs.
TerryLee Ropchan, past president of the Red Deer Neighbourhood Watch Association, was hired as the executive director of the centre.
Cindy Hunt from Central Alberta CrimeStoppers is the program co-ordinator.
The two women came on board in December after the Central Alberta Crime Prevention Board approved the hirings.
Ropchan said the hours haven’t been set in stone, but it’s likely they’ll fall around the lunch hour.
The centre was opened March 1 and includes Neighbourhood Watch, CrimeStoppers and Central Alberta Citizens on Patrol Association. It’s located at No. 108, 3711 51st Ave.
Ropchan said the centre didn’t have any public hours, so this will be new in January.
The centre was trying to bring groups together and ensure that the first year of costs were covered.
“When we realized we were working good together, then we realized we needed to provide some hours and services to the community,” said Ropchan.
Ropchan and Hunt will work part time and during that time, they will also apply for grants. The hope is to hire summer staff.
The crime prevention centre was set up to make things easier for residents to find the resources they need.
“Rather than tracking down programs all over the city, they would come to one location and see how we can help them change their neighbourhood,” said Ropchan.
The centre’s aim is to help people to be proud of their neighbourhoods and improve upon them, so they feel safe, Ropchan said.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com