Lynn Valley youth still waiting for a place of their own

In Lynn Valley, families are easy to find. Playgrounds are busy. Schools are full. New apartment buildings keep rising around the village centre. But one thing is still missing. A dedicated youth centre.

For decades, community members have asked the District of North Vancouver to create a permanent space where teenagers can gather safely after school. The conversation is back again at council. But for many residents, the question remains the same: why doesn’t Lynn Valley have one already?

The issue resurfaced last year after the Lynn Valley Community Association sent a strongly worded letter to the district. “The District of North Vancouver has failed two generations of youth in Lynn Valley,” the letter states. The association notes that discussions about a youth centre began more than two decades ago. In 2001, about $175,000 was set aside for the project. Today that reserve fund has grown to roughly $268,000. But a centre has never been built.

At an October council meeting, District Coun. Jordan Back brought the issue back to the agenda. He asked staff to report on the history of the project and explore new options. Lynn Valley is now one of the district’s designated town centres. Population density has increased steadily in recent years as more housing developments appear around Lynn Valley Village. More families are moving in, yet the neighbourhood still lacks a dedicated youth gathering space. That contrast has frustrated some councillors.

“Generations of children and youth have grown up in Lynn Valley without a youth centre,” Coun. Catherine Pope said during a council discussion earlier this year. “So can we just get on with it?”

The district has now directed staff to explore both long-term and short-term solutions. The long-term plan may involve the Karen Magnussen Community Recreation Centre. Council has suggested including a youth centre as part of a future upgrade to the facility. But that project has no clear timeline yet.

In the meantime, the district is searching for temporary solutions. Staff have been asked to work with youth organizations in the area to identify spaces that could be used in the short term. Councillors have also discussed more informal ideas, such as sheltered outdoor areas that could be used by skateboarders and other youth activities during the winter months. Mayor Mike Little says previous attempts to create a youth space in Lynn Valley faced challenges.