By Angela Brown
The Drumming Hill Youth Centre in North Battleford is slated to close in the near future.
“With declining numbers of youth in custody at the Drumming Hill Youth Centre, the decision has been made by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety to close the facility this November,” Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill said in a statement.
He said discussions are ongoing about how the Drumming Hill facility could potentially be repurposed to serve the Battlefords and area going forward.
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety said in a statement the number of youth in custody in the province continues to see a decline. In North Battleford, the Drumming Hill Youth Centre currently has five youth in custody in the facility, while it has a capacity for 14 individuals.
Plans are for the youth currently in custody at the centre to be transferred to other provincial youth open-custody facilities. More details will be announced when plans for the facility have been finalized.
The ministry said the facility may be repurposed in the future, with the aim to increase access to mental health and addictions services. The statement said the Ministry of Health will conduct consultations and a “needs assessment” for the region, to look at the options.
A staff member told 650 CKOM the facility will close on Nov. 25.