By Amerandi Valentyn
The long anticipated Pietie Fredericks Youth Centre in Piketberg, a R5.5 million investment project within the Bergrivier Municipal Area is nearing completion.
This project was a positive partnership between Bergrivier Municipality and PPC De Hoek, Suiderland Plase, Tip Trans and the Western Cape Provincial Government.
The purpose of the youth centre is to develop strong youth leaders for the future of the Bergrivier Municipal Area. The centre will run various programmes to physically and mentally develop young people through indoor sports, aftercare, tutoring lessons, and other skills development initiatives.
Alletta van Sittert, Manager: Strategic Services at Bergrivier Municipality, mentioned that one of the constraints as a municipality is the lack of sufficient development facilities for the youth. “The Municipality decided that the Pietie Fredericks Youth Centre would be an ideal youth development initiative.
It is for this reason that partnerships are being seeked all the time, including partnership with Provincial Departments. Furthermore, to ensure an integrated approach, youth facilities are combined with other community needs to ensure maximum utilisation and a holistic approach to the whole of society”.
Phase 1 entails the building of parts of the structure. This is expected to be completed before the end of March 2022. Local construction businesses are being given the opportunity to deliver services through out the duration of the project. Phase 2 will be primarily funded by the Western Cape Government and this will commence in April 2022.
