For young people in Humboldt, there is not a lot to do on a Friday night.
But the board at the Community Gathering Place wanted to change that.
Apr. 1 was their first youth night in the basement of the Gathering Place, which project manager, Marie-Louise Ternier-Gommers says is the best kept secret in Humboldt with pool tables, shuffle boards, bowling alley, big screen TV, air hockey, and card tables. Justin and Jessica Gibson from Game Haven also brought in video games for the 25-30 kids that came in and will bring things in on future nights when they are volunteering, says Justin.
Kids from 12-18-years-old are invited every Friday night because those are the ages that need a place to go where they are safe, says Ternier-Gommers.
“If they want to play a game of pool, they can. If they want to just be together and sit in a corner and visit, they can do that too. They’re in a place where they are welcome.”
Tanner Hall said he came because he spent Easter Break being bored but was having fun playing pool and learning how to play shuffleboard.
Ternier-Gommers says the rebranding of the Community Gathering Place started when she was hired. Part of the rebranding was making the Place, which used to be the Humboldt Seniors Centre, into a space that was welcoming to all ages.
Ternier-Gommers has thought from the start that the building is a treasure that needs to be shared with the whole community, including the young people with no place to go.
Talking to people was the first step, like planting seeds in peoples’ mind, says Ternier-Gommers.
“We talked about it a little bit and put some feelers out with folks and they said, ‘well, there really is no safe place for kids to go in Humboldt.’”
This was not a project that could be done alone so they’ve had numerous organizations who wanted to be a part of the venture, including the PARTNERS, Vicki Lund from Infinite Creations, Stacey Poss with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and other individual volunteers.
“That’s when you know you’re moving to the next level once you have a group of dedicated people to take ownership of the idea, and who can help flush it out.”
Next was funding the project.
Charging admission was not something the organizers wanted to do if possible, says Ternier-Gommers, so then it was a matter of looking for grants and sponsorships.
The funding that they did receive from H.E.R.O., and support for local business by ways of donations of food for their concession and pizza for opening night is a great indicator of how much city residences and businesses want a place for youth, says Ternier-Gommers.
“This is not just our initiative. Other people want to support it.”
New grants and community funding will go towards new equipment for the basement.
