Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 22/99) - Yellowknife youth may soon have a new and improved place to hang out.

A request for money to convert the old Mine Rescue Centre into a drop-in centre was approved by a city council committee yesterday.

The financial, legislative and administrative committee unanimously recommended city council grant up to $252,527 to the Side Door Drop-In Centre to convert the unused building located on the corner of 51th Street and 49th Avenue.

Side Door co-ordinator Kevin Laframboise said the new centre is desperately needed by Yellowknife's youth.

"The location we're in now is restrictive. We're in a church basement, which doesn't allow us to be more flexible, such as opening very late at night," Laframboise said.

Even if city council passes the recommendation at next Monday's council meeting, the new youth centre won't become a reality unless the GNWT, which owns the empty building, goes along with the idea.

Laframboise has requested the government transfer title of the building to the Side Door but he has not received a final answer. Committee member Mayor David Lovell said council should not wait on the GNWT's decision.

"I think we should go ahead with the recommendation and wait for the GNWT to deal with the title transfer," he said. "I think unless we go through with the recommendation, we may wait a long time for the GNWT to make a decision."

The city grant, if approved by council, will pay for renovating the inside of the building, including the installation of a kitchen, games area, video room, study area, nursery for young parents and even a deck.

The city committee has also recommended the building, should it change hands, be exempt from property tax.

Lovell said he hopes city council passes the recommendation quickly.

"This was a commitment made by the majority of council at the last election, to deal with the youth situation," he said.

"It's a lot of money, but Yellowknife has a future, and even though we're going through a hard time, we have to invest in that future."

Laframboise said a new centre will also address a growing problem of youth homelessness.

He said Yellowknife's homeless kids have no place to go on winter nights because homeless shelters are not allowed to accept minors.

"When a police officer drives by and sees a homeless kid, where do they take them? There's nowhere.The centre now runs its programs out of the basement of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church on 52nd Street and is open Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday evenings. The centre is visited by about 50 kids on an average night, with over 80-100 young people on an event night, such as a pizza party.