As part of the Youth Endorsed City Space (YECS) project, members of the Mayor’s Youth Council visited Cardel Place to evaluate it on various areas related to it’s youth friendliness, in hopes of presenting it with a YECS banner certifying it as youth friendly. Previous endorsements have gone to Village Square and Southland Leisure centres, as well as two branches of the Calgary Public Library.
Members of the committee found Cardel Place to be quite impressive. The facility itself was top notch, providing a pool, numerous gyms, a fitness centre, two skating rinks and a climbing wall, all of which were easily accessible and readily used by youth. The building is very modern and, according to staff, is extremely eco-friendly. It is easily accessible for people of all incomes because of a subsidy program provided by donors for low-income families. Also, all program registration is available online, making it very conveniant to get involved in the many youth only activities that are available.
For those who are looking for a place to simply hangout, Cardel Place offers free space for breakdancing and spending time with your friends. They also serve organized programs to cater the bored youth in summer. They have a wide variety of engagements and certification programs year round.
Cardel Place also contributes to a strong sense of community. It is the home base for the Northern Hills Community association, as well as the Country Hills branch of The Calgary Public library. There is also a a program set up for students from Notre Dame High School to volunteer at the weekly Friday youth nights. Morale seemed to be quite high in the building and teens were seen (no jokes!) singing and dancing in the halls.
It provides an excellent location for youth to interact with each other while providing excellent facilities to promote a healthy lifestyle. It also contributes to a a sense of community cohesion, which unlike many communities, strives to include youth. I encourage everyone to check out this wonderful facility!
