Faith Raymond and Kenny Stewart remember the reputation the Inuvik Youth Centre had when they were growing up in town.

鈥淔rom a parent鈥檚 perspective, the youth centre was a place where you didn鈥檛 want your kid to end up,鈥� said Raymond, 19, who now works as the centre鈥檚 coordinator.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 allowed to go to the youth centre as a kid because of the location and the lack of supervision.鈥�

Now she feels like the youth centre has become a safe place for youth to come and do what they want in a positive way.

Stewart, 17, opportunities director, agrees.

鈥淚 can definitely say we have changed a bunch,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he old youth centre, there鈥檇 be no rules, facilitators wouldn鈥檛 do their job, they鈥檇 just sit in the office not interacting at all. Now we have a bigger youth centre, more opportunities and we interact with youth.鈥�

Both said it鈥檚 been a long process of slowly improving the centre over the years and between several executive directors.

Cheryl Zaw, current executive director, said at least three and often up to five staff are on site at all times now, so conflicts are dealt with much more quickly.

She鈥檚 been at the centre for four months and wants the facility to support parents more.

One of the only major problems she鈥檚 run into is a sewage tank that keeps overfilling. That has shelved the centre鈥檚 plans for being a place families can do their laundry. The centre has the machines ready to go, but the facility鈥檚 sewer system overfills too quickly, which has closed the centre multiple times.

鈥淩ight now, our biggest problem is the building itself, our plumbing issue,鈥� said Raymond.

She hopes to run more programs focusing on promoting local culture.

The centre has a host of upcoming events, everything from regular archery sessions to on-the-land camps and even a ninja training camp in mid-August.

Zaw encourages community members to come to the centre to teach their skills to the youth, whether they be in hockey, music or whatever else.

鈥淲e get a strong community when adults are feeding back into youth,鈥� she said.

Besides the plumbing issue, it鈥檚 bright days ahead for the youth centre.

鈥淎t this point, a lot of our direction is just stability, being a constant and consistent presence that youth can rely on,鈥� said Zaw.