The Well Community Collective Youth Wellness Centre opens in Goderich
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
Community members, local leaders and representatives from several partner organizations gathered at the Goderich Kinsmen Centre at 185 Keays Street on Wednesday, Oct. 8 to celebrate the opening of the new Well Community Collective Youth Wellness Hub, a dedicated space designed to support young people in Huron County.
The event began with remarks from John Peevers, Director of Community and Media Relations with Bruce Power and co-chair of the fundraising cabinet supporting The Well’s initiatives. Peevers said he was excited to see the project come to fruition. “Isn’t it a great-looking facility?” he said. “We’re all a part of this, and we truly appreciate everyone’s involvement.”
Following Peevers’ introduction, Patricia Smith from The Well Community Collective led a land acknowledgement, recognizing the traditional and unceded territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, including the Ojibwe and Chippewa Nations. She emphasized the organization’s commitment to reconciliation, anti-oppression and decolonization.
“We recognize that colonization is not just a historical event, but an ongoing system that continues to shape the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples today,” she said. “Our commitment is to build relationships not as gestures of inclusion, but as imperatives for equity and justice.”
Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet was next to speak, offering a reflection on why youth engagement remains one of his top priorities. “When I was in high school, I felt like I didn’t matter,” Bazinet said. “Now, I want to make sure no young person feels that way in this community. We can’t expect them to come to us, we need to go to them.”
He spoke about the challenges youth faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the loss of social activities, and described how the new hub will serve as a safe and welcoming space. “This is a safe place for our youth to come to,” he said. “It’s going to make a difference.”
Bazinet credited Deputy-Mayor Leah Noel for suggesting the Kinsmen facility as the hub’s location because of its proximity to local schools. He also thanked the Goderich Kinsmen Club for opening its doors and the many sponsors and organizations that helped make the project possible.
“There’s poverty in our schools,” he said. “Some kids don’t even eat. That’s why this matters. If even one youth walks through the door and finds help, that’s success.”
Peevers praised the community collaboration behind the project. “Volunteers drive the majority of what makes a community great,” he said, before introducing Earl Pennington of the Goderich Kinsmen Club.
Pennington thanked attendees for their support and recalled the early conversations that led to the partnership. “When Trevor called me about this project, we knew right away it was a perfect fit for the Kinsmen,” he said. “Seeing how far it’s come is amazing. We’re proud to be part of it.”
Catherine Hardman, representing the Canadian Mental Health Association Huron Perth, highlighted the importance of collaboration among service providers. “Shannon [McGavin] has been working toward this for years, mostly on her own time,” she said. “It was easy for us to agree to provide the administrative and clinical support needed to make this hub successful.”
Carrie Thomas from the Children’s Aid Society also spoke, emphasizing the importance of accessibility and community partnerships. “The hub is more than just a place,” she said. “It’s a safe and welcoming environment where supportive relationships are formed, and where youth can connect with clinicians and community workers as needed.”
The event concluded with remarks from McGavin, project lead for The Well Community Collective, who received multiple acknowledgements throughout the afternoon for her dedication and leadership.
“This hub is much more than just a space,” McGavin said. “It represents a community that has said ‘yes’ to young people, ‘yes’ to collaboration and ‘yes’ to doing things differently.”
She thanked the Kinsmen Club, local sponsors and the many volunteers and service partners who contributed to the project. “The Well team is tiny but mighty,” she said. “We couldn’t do this without the strength of our partners and the trust of our youth.”
McGavin emphasized the need for improved access to youth mental health services in rural Ontario. “Young people shouldn’t have to wait until they’re in crisis for help,” she said. “They shouldn’t have to travel long distances or navigate complicated systems. Every youth deserves compassion, care and possibility, not barriers.”
After the speeches, attendees gathered outside the Kinsmen facility for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the hub’s opening. The space will serve as a central resource for youth aged 12 to 25, offering access to mental health, employment, education and recreational supports in one welcoming location.
“This is only the beginning,” McGavin told the crowd. “Let’s continue to collaborate so no young person in Huron or Perth County falls through the cracks.”
The celebration in Goderich marked only the beginning for The Well Community Collective, which opened its second Youth Wellness Hub in Exeter on Oct. 15. Like the Goderich hub, the Exeter location offers a welcoming, low-barrier space where young people can access vital supports close to home.