Old Strathcona • Youth Shelter

Sunday morning’s brisk chill was just a taste of what’s to come for homeless youth in Edmonton. At the grand opening of the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS) Armoury Centre at 103rd Street and 85th Avenue, in the old Connaught Armoury, pancakes and sausages were served to early risers interested in touring the newest addition to the neighbourhood.

“Today’s weather is a brutal reminder of the need for safe, warm facilities for our homeless youth,” says Sue Keating, Opportunities Manager with YESS. “The centre’s opening is that much more important now that winter is around the corner.”

The YESS Armoury Centre provides at-risk and homeless youth a place to interact, learn, and relax during the day. By opening at 9 a.m., the centre can support those kids leaving overnight shelters. They also hope to pull in the many youth in the area with nowhere else to go. “Without constructive recreation,” Keating says, “these kids end up hanging out in the malls or gravitating back to the groups and individuals that are harmful.”

Although there was initially some negative feedback from neighbourhood residents, the group has worked with adjacent condo associations to ensure conflicts are resolved. “Yes, there was some worry at first,” Keating admits, “but these kids are hanging around the neighbourhood anyway. We’re just getting them off the streets and out of trouble. Once this was made clear, we were supported.”

Renovations started soon after the group was granted the lease in November 2008. As a designated historic site, restrictions were laid on what could be done to the building, but the result is a functional space with character. “We wanted something super-nice for our kids, something that tells them they’re worth the trouble,” Keating says. “We need to elevate them, give them an environment to grow in.”

With its high ceilings and beautiful exposed brickwork and original fixtures, the centre inspires creativity. The large multipurpose room on the second floor was what sold the group on the building. There’s room for anything, from hip-hop classes to resumé-writing workshops. Keating expects upwards of 100 youths to use the facilities on a near-daily basis.

“We’ll provide recreational opportunities, life skills workshops, counselling, cultural practice support, all the things that will help these kids find their footings,” Keating says. The centre partners with a variety of agencies in the city, including Edmonton Police Services, who are keen to get involved. “Here’s a place where you can deal with your problems in a safe environment.... You can have a shower and write a resumé or play videogames. We’re giving them a chance to share the same experiences as mainstream youth.”