FERGUS – Politicians marvelled at the cooperation it took to make the Skyline Community Hub on Tower Street in Fergus a reality and officials talked about the benefit to youth now that the Hub – and all its wrap-around services for youth – is finally open.
But it was Alyx Roulston’s story that brought tears to just about everyone who attended the grand opening of the Hub on Aug. 25 and highlighted the need for such a place in Centre Wellington.
Roulston, 23, grew up in Fergus and attended Centre Wellington District High School. She suffered from “crippling” anxiety and depression, she told the crowd of about 50 people who attended, and that led to all sorts of problems for her at school.
Low grades, poor socializing skills, short attention span – Roulston said she was bullied, was called dumb, fat and ugly, and had a very low opinion of herself.
“High school was horrifying for me,” she said. “I starved myself.”
When she was 15, Roulston said she was hospitalized for anorexia and that finally led to counselling and a better path in life. She did some modelling before the pandemic shut that down for her and contemplates returning to school to study some area of social work.
“I think how much this space would have helped me,” she said. “I could have had help; I could have had a specialist. And to be within walking distance – that’s game changing.
“I know a place like this has the potential to literally save lives.”
Alyx Roulston shared her story of crippling anxiety and depression at the grand opening of the Skyline Community Hub on Aug. 25. Such a centre would have helped her and will potentially save lives, she said. Photo by Joanne Shuttleworth
The Hub is home to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Centre Wellington, The Grove, and Compass Community Services, which cater to children and youth aged 12 to 26. Compass serves clients aged four to 94 at the site.
There are mental health supports, tutors, study pods, recreation activities including a dance and fitness room, a basketball hoop, kitchens, a media room and eventually there will be a nurse practitioner on site.
Youth can drop-in and just kick around or access any of the services.
There are also synergies between agencies.
Kristen Drexler is the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre Wellington, which moved into the space on March 13 of 2020 and had to close three days later because of the pandemic. They’ve been open to the public intermittently as public health restrictions have allowed.
“Lots of our matches (between Bigs and Littles) happen in the community but lots take advantage of this space,” she said in an interview. “They can bake, cook, play board games and do crafts.
“With the addition of The Grove, we can access expanded resources. Now we can walk across the hall and get supports for people who need them.”
Drexler was called a “visionary” as she saw potential for her centre, called the BHive, to link to other services at the Hub. But it was the Rotary Club of Guelph that was the catalyst for the project, said Cyndy Moffat Forsythe, director of The Grove and a Rotarian herself.
In August 2018 Rotary invited a speaker who talked about this kind of shared space and the way it can stretch resources and improve services for youth.
“We were inspired,” Moffat Forsyth said. “Rotarians said let’s make this happen.”
The Hub is owned and operated by Skyline Retail REIT, part of the Skyline Group of Companies, which invested $1 million in the property and offers reduced rent to the agencies.
“A strong community is integral to a strong business,” said Jason Ashdown, chief sustainability officer and co-founder of Skyline. “Businesses have an obligation to give back to the communities where they exist.
“There are two stories here. One story is that we have the Hub. The second story is the recipe to get here and the main ingredient was collaboration.”
There are three Grove hubs in Wellington County – one in Erin operated through East Wellington Community Services, one in Palmerston operated through Minto Mental Health, and now the one in Fergus, operated through the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington.
Four Grove hubs are also planned in Guelph – at the University of Guelph, the YMCA of Tree Rivers, Shelldale Family Gateway, and at a new CMHA facility to be built in north Guelph.
For more information about the Hub and the agencies, visit:
- centrewellington.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca
- compasscs.org
- www,thegrovehubs.ca
- communityhub.skylineonline.ca
