From installing a new generator and institutional-grade plumbing to giving the exterior of the building an aesthetic refresh, YES Shelter for Youth and Families has unveiled extensive upgrades to the space that provides refuge for young people and families in Peterborough.
On Tuesday (June 24), YES officially announced the successful completion of major repairs to its emergency shelter building at 196 Brock Street, just west of George Street in downtown Peterborough. The project was made possible as a result of the community’s support, including a substantial donation from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.
This “critical work” ensures the long-term safety, function, and dignity of the shelter, which serves youth and families experiencing homelessness across Peterborough city and county, a media release noted.
“My biggest hope is that YES can continue to support youth and families, during the hardest times of their lives, with dignity,” YES executive director Aimeé Le Lagadec told kawarthaNOW about her wish for the lasting impact of the construction work.
Back in 2021, YES asked the community to help raise $200,000 to cover the cost of necessary repairs to the emergency shelter building.
“Thanks to the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough and many generous donors, we have raised just over $265,000 allowing us to cover the most necessary work and some new repair needs as they came up,” Le Lagadec said. “As a community, we safeguarded this essential space for the future,”
The building now features reinforced structural elements, institutional-grade plumbing and fixtures, exterior aesthetic renewal, and the installation of a new generator, while maintaining a welcoming and safe space for young people and parents with children needing shelter.
“This isn’t just about repairing a building,” Justin Sutton, communications coordinator at the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, told kawarthaNOW.
“It’s about safeguarding a vital lifeline — the only emergency shelter for youth and families in Peterborough. When we come together to support this space, we’re not just helping those in crisis, we’re strengthening the entire community.”
The media was invited to an event on Tuesday that featured an exterior tour of the shelter to see the repairs first-hand and hear about the improvement for youth and families in Peterborough.
The conclusion of the repairs was an important moment to celebrate, Le Lagadec said.
“Not only was it important for YES to celebrate the immense support of the community and the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, but it was also an opportunity to highlight the hard work and support that the agency has been doing in the community for 25 years,” she told kawarthaNOW.
“The needs of our homeless population are as prevalent as they have ever been,” Le Lagadec added.
YES has been providing emergency shelter and transitional supports to youth and families in Peterborough city and county since 2000.
Services include the Brock Street emergency shelter, homelessness prevention programming, the RISE Youth Housing Program, the Carriage House Alternative Classroom, a food and clothing cupboard, and housing supports.
