The Brookside Youth Centre in Cobourg closed on Friday night.
 
In a joint announcement with Cobourg Mayor John Henderson, Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini said that five youth at the facility were transferred to other centres in Ontario’s youth detention network and families were notified Friday.
 
Piccini said there are approximately just under 100 staff at the site who have been notified and they are working actively with the unions to ensure that everybody who wants to will remain employed by the Ontario government.

Reduced occupancy rates are among the reported reasons for the closure.  

 "The operational decision to close the underutilized detention centre reflects the responsible use of taxpayer dollars without decreasing the level of care for youth in conflict with the law," Picinni said.  "The decision to close Brookside Youth Detention Centre is a difficult one and it's one that this government doesn't make lightly."
 
According to Today's Northumberland, staff were notified as they arrived for work on Friday the facility would be permanently closed by the Provincial Government.

Brookside Youth Centre was a secure custody facility for males.
 
Henderson said he supported putting a call out to the community for suggestions on how the facility, which opened in the 1960s, could be utilized in the future.