Waypoint youth center to hold open house at new West Newton location
Waypoint Youth and Community Center is opening the doors of its new West Newton location for an open house from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at 320 Mallard St.
The six-year-old nonprofit center outgrew the 1,200 square feet of leased space at its previous home on South Second Street. It has completed the first phase of renovations at a former lumber mill on two acres of land it purchased.
“We have double the space in the main hall,” with more room to grow in the new 9,000-square foot facility, according to Chris Morse, CEO of the nonprofit.
In addition to a kitchen, the center includes areas for dining, activities, a lounge and computer lab. It annually provides free after-school snacks and programs for about 150 kids in grades 5-12.
The center also will be open for tours and will distribute treats during Halloween trick-or-treating in West Newton, 2-5 p.m. Saturday.
Much of the money invested in the new center came from a grant from the Massey Charitable Trust and proceeds from Waypoint’s popular youth-staffed Outpost River’s Edge Eatery cafe, along the Great Allegheny Passage trail at 110 Collinsburg Road in West Newton. Since opening in 2020, it has sold more than 22,000 burgers.
“It’s not yet to the level of McDonald’s, but we’re getting there,” Morse said.
The cafe is wrapping up the season this weekend, serving customers 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit waypointcommunitycenter.org or call 724-633-2050.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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