The Connaught Youth Centre Society said the city needs to step up its support as a landlord.
That way the society can focus "more fully on program creation and delivery and less on building infrastructure upgrades," said its report to city council Monday night.
During her presentation, CYC Executive Director Catharine Kendall asked council to act on four motions: that the city put funding for facility improvements in its five year capital plan; that it pave and maintain the centre's shared parking lot with Ron Brent Park; that as a key user of the park it be involved in all plans for its development and improvement; and that the city enter into a 30-year lease with the Royal Canadian Legion #43 for the use of the centre.
Backed by more than 100 cadets in uniform, parents and staff members, Kendall told city council she would "paint a picture of community need and community service."
Councillors expressed gratitude and support for the centre's work, but bowed to staff recommendations that Prince George proceed with a building conditions assessment before it promised anything.
Staff told Kendall that the centre was on the 2016 list for city properties due for an assessment and then it would be in a better position to advise council and start negotiations with the Legion on a long-term lease.
"I want to make it really clear that you've been heard tonight," said Coun. Garth Frizzell, noting council makes the capital plans years ahead of time so her timing is good.
"Seeing leadership that's come out tonight and well-timed and well-articulated challenges that you've been facing."
Those challenges cover the unique reality that face the VLA neighbourhood, which has a population of more than 4,000 residents. Those residents include the most single parents, the most youth between 15 and 24, and the most children under four years old in Prince George.
One in three families in the VLA are single parent, in most cases mothers, said the fact sheet prepared for council.
It also has "the most transient population" with the most frequent address changes and the lowest Early Childhood Indicators scores in the province, "which measure future educational and developmental successes."
The services most commonly offered in this area are intervention-based instead of having a prevention focus and have short-term funding.
Kendall said it's key that the services be offered in the community.
"We're well positioned geography to continue to service youth and families."
Kendall quoted several inmates who spoke for more work with youth to teach them about drugs and and weapons on the street.
"Women shared that they were afraid for their children," she said adding some had been recruited to gangs as young as nine years old. "All of these people were reaching out in many ways asking for there to be support in the VLA."
That's where the centre comes in, Kendall said, highlighting the work it does to address graffiti, theft, homelessness and gang prevention.
The society is also in the midst of a two-year transition to become the Boys and Girls Club of Prince George - a program model that is proven to "have reduced crime rates and youth school drop out rates within high crime neighbourhoods," she said.
Through Participaction BC, the centre received its first grant last month for the society's first all-ages dropin youth sport program. And thanks to provincial funding, this month the gym became wheelchair accessible.
"These are some images just to give you some highlights," said Kendall before moving through slides of its many partners.
It has offered a home for cadets for the past 30 years, the presentation said, it has more than 1,000 members and also partners with community groups: PG Ladies Morning Badminton, PG Men's Racquetball, PG Pinoy Basketball League and Cedar's Christian School.
"There's so many important worthy programs," said Coun. Terri McConnachie. "It truly is a community resource centre."
