Headline News

Work starts on Youth Hub at former Club 580

April 13, 2021

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

The renovations have started at the former Club 580, now 168 Hastings Street, to convert it into a Child and Youth Hub.

The building will provide several services for youth and families in the community. The Yourspace Youth Centre will be in the main hall area that will also provide school age licensed care and host the Experience Summer Camp. There will also be an office space in the former coat storage area that will provide a confidential space for service providers to serve youth better. The Children’s Centre Preschool will be put on the former shuffleboard side with a separate entrance which will be installed in the future.

With the assistance from funding, North Hastings Children’s Services is paying for the renovations. As it is the town’s building, the parks and recreation works crew is overseeing the project and doing some of the work in-house.

Executive director of NHCS Jessica Anderson explained that the renovations were needed, “Because the building will have licensed child care we need to ensure it follows the building code for child care and requirements that fall under the Child Care and Early Years Act. This includes increased window size, a new bathroom with enough children size toilets and sinks and then health and safety factors such as new flooring and paint. The kitchen is required under Public Health guidelines and will also be used for cooking lessons for youth and EarlyON programs.”

The goal is to have the entire project completed by the end of April to be ready for the public health, fire and Ministry of Education inspections.