PORT ANGELES — Plans are under way for Serenity House of Clallam County to purchase part of what used to be Aggie’s Restaurant and Motel at 343 E. First St.
“This is a very large building with great potential for use by the homeless youth project and other projects that are in the planning stages,” said Kathy Wahto, executive director of Serenity House.
Wahto’s initial plan is to buy the former restaurant and portion of the ex-motel — the former Tempest youth center — and move a drop-in center for homeless and at-risk youth into the First Street property.
Since opening in September of last year in a rented space on East Third Street, The Dream Center for homeless and at-risk youth has registered more than 2,895 visits.
“Demand was so intense we had to increase the number of days we were open,” said Cindy Burdine, program director for The Dream Center, which operates under Serenity House.
“In July of this year, the first month of an [expanded] schedule, we have had 573 visits from 203 people.”
Homeless, at-risk youth
The Dream Center is the only facility of its kind in Clallam County targeting youth who are homeless or are at-risk for being homeless.
In addition to handing out meals, The Dream Center workers and volunteers help youth seek out help for problems such as substance or physical abuse.
Wahto said the larger space will allow them to offer more services.
“We will now be able to have a kitchen and a hot-food program,” said Wahto of the second-floor space The Dream Center plans to use.
“Plus, it will allow us to take the money [used to pay rent at the current site] and do something more useful with it.”
After closing down in 1998, the northern half of Aggie’s was turned into an apartment complex, which remains today.
The southern half of the property housed the Tempest youth program from 2000 until it closed in 2004.
