Yellowknife (May 16/03) - Not long after the SideDoor reopened its senior youth program it has been forced to reduce services due to a lack of funding.

The SideDoor shut down its program for youth ages 13 to 18 in January because of the violence, drinking and drugs that plagued the youth centre.

Ryan Peters, SideDoor executive director, said the incidents only occurred due to a lack of volunteers available to keep an eye on the youths.

Since those incidents the centre reopened to serve the teens, but was shut down completely in the beginning of May, due to a lack of funds.

The senior youth program is now operating only once a week from 5 p.m. to midnight.

A recent $5,000 donation from the Bank of Nova Scotia, $40,000 in annual city funding, and a $25,000 donation from the Royal Bank are keeping the youth programs from extinction.

Although Peters said he's thankful for these donations, it just isn't enough.

"I don't want to make the city think we're being poor money managers. It's just that when you're operating a building like this the expenses are far greater than a church basement."

The SideDoor moved from the Holy Trinity Anglican church basement into its own building in last April.

Costs of building maintenance, water, heat, insurance and electricity alone add up to about $16,000, according to a SideDoor budget. Added with staff paycheques, equipment, an Internet connection and other expenses the SideDoor's bill totals approximately $262,000.

Minus donations and extra revenue earned from renting out the facility for birthday parties and meetings, the SideDoor budget reveals around $188,000 left to be paid.

"I want to make it really clear that the donated money has gone into our building project," said Peters. "We are now looking for funding for our programs."

The only program left in full operation at the SideDoor is for junior youth. The program runs after school from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for pre-teens below the age of 13. Over the past four years the Royal Bank has sponsored the junior youth program, donating about $100,000 in total.

Although Peters has needed to make sacrifices to pay the bigger bills of the larger facility he said he doesn't regret moving out of the Holy Trinity Church basement.

"I don't think it was a mistake at all. I see what Kevin (Laframboise, former executive director) was trying to accomplish by building a place that we can grow into instead of outgrowing."

Peters said he hopes the public will understand that they need support to keep the SideDoor open.

"I do appreciate verbal support and we've had a lot of people volunteer, but I'd love to see some financial support from the community."