The Youth Wellness Centre has a new temporary home, which will become a permanent one.
The centre, which offers one-stop medical, psychological and personal counselling to kids up to age 24, is now located at 22932 Lougheed Hwy., next to the Frogstone Grill.
The centre had been planning to move to that location, anyways, but the flash flood on Sept. 14 in downtown Maple Ridge swamped its previous location, in the Greg Moore Youth Centre.
Eventually, the centre will become part of the Foundry program, which is located across B.C.
That will require expansion and renovations of the new location to provide an area of 5,645 sq. feet.
Those renovations will require fundraising to cover the costs, said Ron Antalek, chairperson of the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation board.
Thursday night was the first in the centre’s new location, said Vicki Kipps, with Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Community Services, which manages the centre.
The Options of Sexual Health Clinic is also at the new location.
“We don’t have to raise the same amount that we would have for building construction, but we still need … somewhat significant fundraising for the renovations and the on-going operations,” Kipps said.
Antalek said the new location will be next to the sports fields at Thomas Haney secondary, which will become a great youth hub.
“It’s going to be a major youth hub. It’s going to be exciting and Foundry will be a part of it.”
A full grand opening should take place next spring.
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