Why the Teen Centre is going to close on June 30

Four of the six full-time and part-time core staffers at the Sault Ste. Marie Teen Centre will lose their jobs when the centre closes its doors on June 30. the board of directors confirmed today.

The other two permanent staffers will be laid off when the centre's after-school and summer programs end on August 31, board treasurer Don Robb told reporters at a news conference at the troubled centre.

"It comes down to a money situation," Robb said. "If you don't have it, you can't operate."

To keep the doors open, the struggling centre would need $50,000 in short-term financing and a commitment for $150,000 a year in long-term financing, Robb told SooToday.com.

After a meeting earlier today with City Councillors Neil DelBianco and Terry Sheehan, and a conversation with Mayor John Rowswell, the centre's board has no reason to believe assistance will be forthcoming.

To see some of the Teen Centre staff and board members at today's meeting, please click here.

******************************** Full text of Don Robb's statement

On December 27, 1997 an eight-year-old dream becomes a reality.

From small beginnings in a youth forum sponsored by the Anti-Drug Youth Coalition in 1989, that expressed the need for a youth centre in Sault Ste. Marie to December 27, 1997 when the reality of such a centre opened its doors in the Collegiate High School, the concept of a drug-free, harassment-free, social, recreational and educational centre for youth had begun.

Over the next six-and-a-half years, the efforts to make the centre function as a youth centre ran like a roller coaster ride.

Finding money to operate, to pay staff, to run programs was a difficult task given the economic issues facing the community.

Long hours, minimum wage

Finding a dedicated staff who were willing to work long hours at minimum pay was a difficult task but we found them and they worked hard putting in 60-plus-hour weeks.

They were managers, bookkeepers, program orgaanizers and good friends to youth.

We looked for sponsors and funders willing to support a much-needed facility for youth and had a vision of what it could do for the community and the youth in our community.

Finding such sponsors and funders in the depressed economic situation the community found itself in was truly a full-time job.

We received Trillium money and HRDC grants to support staffing and programming with the attachment that at the end of two years we would be self-sufficient.

Standing on our own

We reached that goal in October 1999.

Not only were we growing but we were finding ways to fund staff and programs.

We had over 350 youth on our membership lists, we attracted over 200 youth to weekly dances, we had an additional 200 plus youth visits per week.

We made community connections with Springboard, Youth Probation, Algoma Health Unit, Red Cross, Soccer clubs, theatre groups and many other community connections.

The once-too-large space began to become too small.

The gym was in full use day and night.

We partnered with CLA and others to make better use of the facility and help fund our programs.

Trying to save the Collegiate Then in 2000 we took a bold step and proposed a Community Resource Centre to bring together the Arts, and Social aspects of the Community.

Working with about five partners we proposed to the city, which had a $2 million surplus they were sharing with the community, a visionary plan that would save the Collegiate building and allow the Teen Centre to survive financially.

Although we were the only group to present a major written proposal and demonstrated the economic value of the proposal we left that night with no money.

Shortly thereafter the Collegiate building was sold to an outside group, even though we demonstrated community support and financial worth to buy the building.

Riding the Corkscrew The roller coaster ride began. We had three months or less to find a new facility.

We had received money based upon our attempts to buy Collegiate, from the City in the amount of $65,000 on the condition it was matched dollar for dollar and on the premise we exist as an organization for two more years.

We raised the money and matched the total.

Now to find a place.

After much searching, we decided that the Catholic Information Centre building on Albert Street West, would be the closest we could get to a suitable facility.

A big mistake

We quickly realized this was a mistake. The renovations required to bring the building up to code ran into tens of thousands.

With the loss of a gymnasium, also came the loss of teens.

It was at this point, that we also began losing our dedicated staff to school or departure from Sault Ste. Marie.

We suddenly found ourselves not only as non-self-sufficient but building-rich and money-poor.

All our money was tied to the building.

With efforts to diversify and add tenants, the cost to maintain the building, programs and staff were too much.

The cost of heating, and taxes and insurance were just too much.

City charges interest on $20,000 loan We approached the City three times for assistance.

Once to get the taxes removed as they have done for others in the city but request was refused.

Second to help with the environmental problem, and with the help of the mayor and some good citizens and the removal of tipping fees we got that cleaned up in preparation to sell.

Finally, we asked for a short-term loan to get us over the financial hump until the building was sold.

The city lent us the $20,000 with interest.

This amount was the first to be paid back and came out of the profits of the building sale.

With the sale imminent we were once again in need of a facility.

Convoy to Cathcart With the assistance of the Huron Superior District Catholic School Board, we began the rental of the old St. Mary's Annex school in September of 2003.

We began a series of meetings to formulate a strategic plan.

We still had no funding sponsors and major source of revenue.

The Board of Directors decided to monitor the progress carefully and when it became evident that the income was not going to meet long-term plans we would pass the motion to close the facility.

With our strategic plan in hand the staff began a process to work on long-term fund raising projects.

The plan was excellent, the vision was great but the money source began to run out fast due to high heating costs, less staffing money from Trillium and cutbacks to other staff funding.

To read more of this document, please click here.