Shak's World will be getting an assist from Georgian College and the Sandbox Centre.
At Monday night's general committee meeting, city officials were looking for more information on how Shak's World could be sustained over the long-term at a downtown Barrie location, and to do that they want to enlist the help of those two local organizations.
Councillors received a facility analysis report from city staff last night regarding an earlier funding request from Shak's World, which wants a permanent location to provide programming for local youth between the ages of seven and 17 years old through sports, life skills, mentorship, nutrition, educational opportunities, and community.
Shak's World wants to set up a youth centre offering activities and programs at 59A Maple Ave., site of the former Barrie Youth Centre. The downtown site is 12,588 square feet and includes a gym, office space, several multi-purpose areas and a kitchen area, all of which fit the group's criteria.
Shak Edwards, the organization's president and founder, and McKeyra Peter, director of operations for Shak’s World, made a pitch to city council Aug. 10 for $42,000 in financial help to obtain space for Shak’s World Community Centre. Two weeks later, city officials received a business plan for the proposed facility, which indicates revenue streams from community rentals, partnered programming, drop-in programs, grant applications, and e-commerce.
However, since the Aug. 10 meeting, Shak’s World has secured funding for at least six months of lease costs at the vacant Maple Avenue location, according to the city staff report, after Coun. Jim Harris helped obtain funding through community organizations. In addition, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up.
Now the city wants to see more information on a long-term plan.
"Without further detail on revenues and expenses, it is difficult to comment on the financial sustainability of the program as outlined in the existing business plan," says the staff report. "Further development of the business plan is strongly recommended."
During Monday's meeting, Mayor Jeff Lehman offered a two-part amendment to help get Shak's World — which has been operating in the gyms of some local schools — into a permanent location. The first part said the city supports the group's vision for a facility devoted to at-risk youth, while the second portion directed the organization to the Sandbox Centre and Georgian College's Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation to further develop the business plan.
"This is a community leader that we want to assist and support in developing her vision," Lehman said. "However, there is clearly a vision here that is in development. ... We see this as a very good thing for Barrie and something that we would like to see happen."
But the mayor also added: "There is still more work to be done. ... This could be a very positive next step."
No deadline or timeline has been attached, but Shak's World is hoping to move into the downtown space next month.
Programs that would be available immediately at Shak's World include a CMHA drop-in, Junior Police Academy, Black Youth Night with Barrie Police, Junior NBA, Scholarly Elite Tutoring Service, Shak’s World Basketball, and Youth Haven community integration.
Other programs in development could include becoming home to National Basketball Mentorship Program of Canada, fundraising and charity events, workshops for parents and children, and expansion of Shak's World basketball programs.
The intent is to provide programming to 240 marginalized youth in the first year of operations, according to the staff report. There would also be collaboration with other organizations such as Youth Haven, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Family Connections, Empower Simcoe, and New Path. The Toronto Raptors basketball club was also identified as a potential community partner.
For more information on Shak’s World, click here.
