Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Liard (Oct 11/02) - The Acho Dene Koe council has closed the youth centre until further notice.

The decision was made last week in consultation with RCMP and health and social workers, band councillor Joanne Deneron said.

Playing pool and hanging out at the youth centre isn't an option right now for kids in Fort Liard. The Acho Dene Koe council closed the facility last week. -- NNSL file photo

With older teens hired to supervise younger ones, band council was informed that often only certain kids were being allowed into the facility. Several assaults had reportedly occurred there and vandalism has been another serious issue.

"There were kids that were swearing and kids that were drinking going in there ... the place was getting wrecked," Deneron said, referring to plugged toilets, a damaged pool table, graffiti and other interior and exterior damage. "There's too much bullying going on in there."

She added that band council has not been following through with regular reports on the youth centre.

"It's our fault for letting it get out of hand," she said.

To rectify the situation, Deneron said, an adult supervisor will be hired. As well, she noted, Chief Floyd Bertrand is planning to visit the school to foster the formation of a youth committee, which will oversee the direction of the facility.

"The kids have to come up with some rules for themselves, (rules) that they have to agree to," she said.

Harry Capot-Blanc is a concerned parent who wants action taken immediately to reopen the facility. He said he's worried about youths returning to the streets.

"Last night they were right down the main road, in front of the hamlet office again, hanging out. Winter's coming and the kids are going to have no place to go," Capot-Blanc said last week. He added that all kids are suffering due to the actions of a few bad ones.

"It took two years to start that youth centre, (then) it takes this new chief and council five months to shut it down," he said.