Rodney Stevens

A 25-year-old dream of a Yamba Youth Centre has been reignited by a well-known local woman in the hope a central location for the town’s youth could foster community and drive down crime.

In 1997, Bev Mansfield, Yamba Police, the late Yaegl elder Jimmy Budd, Yamba Chamber of Commerce and others had a vision to develop a PCYC ‘style’ Youth Centre at Yamba, a dream she says it is now time to realise.

The concept of the Youth Centre utilises mostly existing facilities, the playground, Yamba skatepark, tennis courts, and the Kane Douglas rugby field, with the current Fire and Rescue NSW Yamba Fire Station to be repurposed into a Youth Centre.

“With the skatepark, playground, tennis courts, rugby fields and facilities all together on that corner it lends itself perfectly to be all one wonderful area for the youth and their helpers to enjoy their own space,” she said.

“It would be an ideal space, once the fences came down after the old fire station was converted, to offer a permanent space for youth to gather and talk, to foster like-minded ideas.

“I am sure there are many potential grants that would be willing to support this idea.”

Mrs Mansfield said people she had spoken to in Yamba would like to see a new Fire and Rescue Station built and the old station retained for the town’s youth.

“It would be great to see a new fire station built as soon as possible in the Yamba Business Park where it would be close to the Yamba SES facilities,” she said.

Mrs Mansfield said with the upcoming September 14 Local Government Election she hoped a candidate, or newly elected councillors would support the dream so it can become a reality.

Mrs Mansfield emailed Clarence Valley Council CVC and their Communications team, General Manager, Laura Black, and Councillors Debrah Novak, and Karen Toms about the idea.

Cr Debrah Novak replied ‘that is an amazing idea’ but reminded Mrs Mansfield there is a Youth Space in the new Treelands Drive Community Precinct currently being built.

She said there had been youth activities at the old Yamba Community Centre and Wellspring Church in Treelands Drive and old Fire Station would need to be leased and insured, suggesting an incorporated group be formed to take the concept forward.

It is not known if Fire and Rescue NSW have plans to construct a new Yamba Fire Station.

“The Rural Fire Brigade Station located at Yamba is an asset owned by Fire and Rescue NSW,” CVC’s executive support team said in an email.

“Funds from the Rural Fire Fighting Fund are provided by the NSW Rural Fire Service to meet the costs of constructing new Rural Fire Brigade Stations.”

For further information or input contact Bev Mansfield at bevmans67@gmail.com