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OGDEN — It's been more than three years since Encircle reps and their boosters broke ground on a new facility for LGBTQ youth and teens on busy Washington Boulevard in Ogden.
Work edged ahead, stopped, started again, and now a representative from the organization — which also has facilities in Provo, Salt Lake City, St. George and Heber City — said the project should be complete this coming fall. Groundbreaking took place on March 25, 2021, and for a long stretch, as work stood at a standstill, the structure had been shrouded in scaffolding — which is now gone as work nears completion.
"We ran into delays with material orders and other components due to the widespread and long-lasting effects of the pandemic. We are happy to report we are back on track and we expect an opening later this year," said Callie Birdsall-Chambers, the Encircle vice president of marketing and communications, in an emailed statement. A precise date will come later.
The Ogden facility — originally to have been complete by late 2021 or early 2022 — is the first for Encircle built from the ground up, which also slowed construction. The other centers were renovations of preexisting homes.
Encircle, which launched in Provo in 2017, offers counseling and access to varied resources for LGBTQ youth, teens and young adults and their families. Encircle homes are also meant to serve as safe, supportive spaces for younger members of the LGBTQ community.
Founder Stephenie Larsen has said she was spurred to launch the organization on learning of the "alarming" numbers of suicides among Provo's LGBTQ youth. Indeed, Encircle seems to put focus more on the mental well-being of LGBTQ youth than political advocacy for the community.
Encircle conducts assessments in the communities where it's mulling expansion to make sure its services coincide with local needs, Birdsall-Chambers said. The offerings at the Ogden facility at 2458 Washington Blvd. will parallel services at other locations, with individual and family therapy and support group offerings.
"Specific offerings and their timing will be shared once our opening date has been announced, but friendship circles, therapy, daily programs, community events and drop-in hours will all be available," said Birdscall-Chambers.
