Carleton Place Youth Centre facing funding crisis

Programming at the Carleton Place and District Youth Centre is set to be severely impacted when students return to school Monday.

The centre says that due to financial constraints, it will only be open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, as opposed to operating Monday to Friday before the Christmas break.

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The centre's executive director Sharon Ruth says the main issue is the lack of grant funding available this year.

"The grant funding from the United Way and Trillium wasn't opening until January. Looking at our books, I realized that I wouldn't be able to make any payroll for our staff," Ruth said.

On top of that, Ruth tells CTV News the centre's insurance bill has skyrocketed in recent years.

"In 2022, our insurance bill was fixed, $6,000, [...] coming up in April, it's over $18,000."

The Carleton Place Youth Centre is seen as a safe haven for local children, offering free programming such as arts and crafts, outdoor activities, and leadership opportunities.

Madyson Kinkade is one of the few paid counsellors at the Youth Centre, and says being laid off from the site will result in a bigger impact than a loss of income for her.

"We provide all these amazing things, we made all these amazing connections, they had the safe place to go, and now we have to look at them and go, we know you're struggling, that there's no one there for you. But now we have to leave too."

One of those who has relied on the Youth Centre is 13-year-old Allie Olsheski, who has since become a volunteer at the site after previously attending as a participant.

"I never really had any friends because everyone thought I was weird. And then I came here and I was accepted for who I was," Olsheski says.

"This is my family and I don't want to let them go. I just don't know if I can handle being away from them for that long."

The centre also served as a spot for kids to enjoy and stay safe after school while waiting for parents to finish work.

Jennifer Thom says her son can't reconcile the fact that the centre will be closed three days of the week now.

"He could be home but he'd rather be here," says Thom. "It's going to be tough. I see our house as being a drop in center now."

Funding for youth centres and charitable organizations are struggles being seen across the country recently, and as nearby as BGC Ottawa.

The Carleton Place Youth Centre's treasurer Colin Murray says they have now issued a final plea to local businesses, asking for donations or sponsorship dollars to keep the doors open.

"To keep in step with the growing demand, we need about $50,000 in funding to go back to full week programming until the end of March."