Winnipeg, MB - The Province and the City are investing in upgrades to the Teen Stop Community Kitchen Project which will include renovations such as a roof replacement and upgrades to a kitchen which provides healthy meals for young people and a gathering place for seniors in St. Vital.
The Province and the City are providing $30,000 through Phase Two of the Manitoba/Winnipeg Building Communities Initiative (BCI) II partnership, announced today by Children and Youth Opportunities Minister Kevin Chief, on behalf of Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux; and Councillor Brian Mayes (St. Vital), on behalf of Mayor Sam Katz.
“The Teen Stop Jeunesse kitchen brings this community together here in St. Vital and provides an important resource to engage our young people through training opportunities,” said Minister Chief. “It’s an excellent example of how a community can come together to work with youth and help them develop a variety of valuable skills, such as learning to cook, in a safe and welcoming environment.”
“The City is pleased to partner in this important community facility that provides a safe place for youth in our city to learn and develop life skills,” said Mayor Katz. “This renovation will not only serve our youth but will act as a gathering place for the seniors in this community for years to come.”
Teen Stop Jeunesse (formerly Ron’s Drop-in Centre at 533 St. Anne’s Road) opened in 1980 to give young people a safe place to gather outside of school hours. The centre has developed into a registered charity that offers youth aged eight to 18 programs in arts and crafts, homework support, music, life skills such as cleaning and laundry, simple maintenance and yard work, and preparing, baking and cooking healthy snacks and full meals.
The BCI II Phase Two funds are supporting kitchen improvements that include enhanced access, new cabinetry, a double oven, a large commercial fridge and freezer and re-roofing. The centre will use the renovated kitchen to expand the cooking component of its life skills program, support the nutrition program and provide healthy lunches for high school students in the area for fall 2013. The kitchen will also support ongoing use by seniors in the community.
In addition to today’s joint investment, the Province provided Teen Stop Jeunesse with an $11,000 Community Places grant in April for the roof replacement. The City is also committing $25,000 from the Community Incentive Grant Program for roof repairs to the Morrow Avenue Day Care, which is housed in the building.
The BCI II partnership is a multi-year, 50-50 cost-shared capital initiative developed jointly by the Manitoba government and the City of Winnipeg. The goal of the funding is to support community revitalization through improvements to local community infrastructure in targeted older neighbourhoods and contribute to the vitality, safety and health of communities throughout the city.
The Teen Stop Jeunesse renovation project is one of 34 BCI II, Phase Two projects. A total of $7,638,500 in community improvements throughout Winnipeg has been committed so far. Additional projects will be approved in the coming months for a total of $10 million over the next two years.
Phase One of BCI II provided a total of $10 million between 2010 and 2013. Of the 37 approved projects under the first phase, 31 have been completed, with the remaining six to be completed in the 2013 construction season. Projects included improving athletic fields, playgrounds and structures, splash pads, lighting, seating, pathways in parks and upgrades and expansions of community centres. Projects are selected in consultation with key stakeholders and community groups.