QUEANBEYAN can look forward to welcoming a new Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) once lockdown lifts.

The popular youth club is ready to open and will operate from the council-owned Queanbeyan Indoor Sports Centre (QISC) on Yass Road.

NSW PCYC CEO Dominic Teakle says the new club will play a role in supporting at-risk youth and strengthening opportunities for young people in Queanbeyan.

“There is a view from some that PCYC is for bad kids, its not, its about providing a safe facility for kids who are disengaged,” Mr Teakle says.

The club has taken ownership of a new bus — and is ready to be used — with Mr Teakle anticipating that youth-based programs will kick off once the covid enforced lock down ends.

He added that the organisation is on the look out for a club manager and also needs some grants to help re-purpose the club’s new home.

“It’s an awesome facility and its well placed but its not set up for things like basketball so we are hoping to get funding to make it more usable,” Mr Teakle says.

A drop-in centre, job training and youth at risk programs will run out of the facility.

Plans for the Queanbeyan-based PCYC have been in the pipeline since 2017.

“The local police were the ones that lobbied hard to get this as they felt there was a youth issue that needed to be addressed, so having a destination to go where programs can be run is really important,” Mr Teakle says.

“We are looking forward to throwing the doors open soon.”