WAGGA’S Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) is taking desperate measures to fight for the survival of its revolutionary $18 million facility.
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PCYC regional general manager Brett Somerville has taken to social media in a last-ditch attempt to build support for the iconic youth rehabilitation centre.
Mr Somerville pleaded with residents to donate their spare change to the organisation, touting the hashtag ‘#Three4PCYC’.
It comes after Wagga City Council failed to make a $3 million funding commitment towards the project, despite receiving a whopping $4.9 million from the federal government under the Financial Assistance Grants (FAG) scheme.
Council is yet to decide if it will front the money required to push the “desperately needed” facility across the line.
“It’s really a no-brain decision,” Mr Somerville said.
“From an investment perspective we’ve barely even touched on its ability to host major events.
“The return for council would be enormous and it would inject more than $35 million into the community.”
A Daily Advertiser survey of 1400 locals revealed an overwhelming 92 per cent were in support of Wagga City Council partly funding the venture.
Adding further pressure to the issue, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller announced a series of shake-ups to stop young people from becoming radicalised or joining gangs, including an overhaul of PCYC clubs.
Under the plan, he will rejuvenate PCYCs to link juvenile offenders with police.
But a former PCYC mentor claims the Wagga club’s future lies with councillors.
“I honestly don’t think it will get over the line without that extra $3 million to prop it up,” Kevin Walsh, who prominently worked out of Ipswich, said.
“There’s been a lot of interest in how such an ambitious, state-of-the-art centre would come to be.
“Hopefully it gets the green light.”
Wagga councillors will consider a report on the matter June 26 after six months of negotiations.