Grant applications are in to potentially fund a community youth centre in Nyngan.
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According to council business papers, the Bogan Shire Council is eligible to receive up to $764,812 in the third round of the Stronger Country Communities fund, with half the funding allocation for youth projects.
The shire's general manager Derek Francis said community consultation revealed there had been strong support to establish a community youth centre in Nyngan.
"It's one of the things that consistently in community feedback over the years, it's come up that there just isn't a space for kids to hang out," Mr Francis said.
Community consultation workshops were undertaken with the Nyngan High School, St Joseph's Primary, Nyngan Public school and community stakeholders. An online survey was sent to all schools in the Bogan Shire for distribution with parents.
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Community consultation revealed the desired location for this would be part of the old tennis court site due to its central location to schools and other facilities including the skate park, oval, netball courts and pool.
The community suggested that the new centre would need an informal social space to meet and talk to friends, a kitchen, recreation room for gaming and table tennis, quiet rooms for workshops, training, meetings or study and an open multipurpose space for events like discos or indoor sport.
Feedback following the consultation also revealed the desire for a dedicated community or youth worker to supervise the operations of the centre and coordinate activities and programs for children.
However the council have agreed they would work with community organisations who deliver youth and community support services to investigate alternative methods for funding ongoing employment of a part-time youth worker.
"It's intended to be a place where older school kids over the age of 12 can go in the afternoons, possibly on weekends, during the school holidays just to hang out and a bit of a meeting space," Mr Francis said.
"Also the community can use it, we identified there was a lack of community meeting spaces of the right size or available at the right time of the day or evening so it's not just a youth centre, it's for the whole community.
"I'm not going to say its big enough for an indoor sports centre, it's not big enough for that but there is an open area contained within the proposed centre to have that sort of activity to go on."
Mr Francis said the grant application has been submitted to the state government and they're waiting to hear of the outcome.
"We may hear before Christmas, but it's more likely going to be in January."