MOOSE JAW — After a malfunction revealed the urgent need for a complete electrical overhaul, Joe’s Place launched its “Project Power-Up” campaign to secure funding to upgrade the building’s 70-year-old power system this year.
Aiming to raise $100,000, Joe’s Place has completed the majority of necessary upgrades, yet approximately $37,000 remains to complete the project.
“We’ve had a very tight year financially, (because) we had a big electrical failure that left the building in need of very expensive repairs to replace the old (electrical) system with all new, up to code electrical (components),” stated Joe Dueck, owner of Joe’s Place.
“That is mostly finished now, but we still have the last big, final bill to pay,” he added.
The power failure occurred in 2022 after one of the circuit boxes melted down. Dueck was working at the time when an employee called him to the basement claiming that something smelled “odd.” When they entered the basement, Dueck found one of the electrical boxes crackling and steaming.
“It’s never a good thing to see your breaker box steaming,” he said.
Dueck then called in an electrician and notified SaskPower, who along with an independent electrical inspector, informed him that the building’s electrical system was first wired in 1957 and now required an extensive upgrade.
Project Power-Up has nearly paid off the entire cost since, with efforts including the $8,800 raised during a late May concert featuring indie band “An Unexpected End” and pop-rock headliner “The Color.” This was further supported by event sponsors Century 21 Insight Realty and Déjà vu Café, alongside several individual donors.
Despite Project Power-Up going well, Dueck said costs have continued to rise.
“With the inflation that we’ve all been experiencing, the project came in a lot higher than we had hoped for in the final price,” he said. “And so, we’re still trying to pay that bill, but most of the work is done so that is great news.”
This work includes several new electrical components as required by modern electrical codes.
“Our building has all new, up to date main power feeds, and all of our transformers have been moved out onto the poles in the back alley which is a huge sigh of relief,” Dueck said.
As a lingering consequence, this year’s chemical-free New Year’s Eve celebration for youths — Voltage — almost had to be cancelled.
“Our two title sponsors, K+S Potash Canada and River Street Promotions, who are of course all about youth and mental health, they came on board and were excited to get involved again,” Dueck said. “That was amazing, and we’re very thankful to them.”
Voltage 2024 was also guaranteed with an additional donation by the G. Murray & Edna Forbes Foundation via the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation (SSCF).
Due to the Canada Post strike, this year’s Voltage sponsorship letters couldn’t get distributed. As a result, Dueck is seeking additional sponsors to help cover expenses and said each donor will receive wide promotion across the centre’s social media channels, posters, and videos.
“We’re very thankful to everyone who supported the project, but we’ve still got a little bit of a final push to go to pay that final bill,” Dueck said.
You can help support Joe’s Place at any time by donating at CanadaHelps.org and searching for ‘Joe’s Place Youth Centre — Generation Hope Youth Inc.’
Joe’s Place is located at 402 Main Street North and can be reached at 306-693-5637. For more information, visit ‘Joe’s Place Youth Centre (official)’ on Facebook or JPYC.org.
