MY Place moving to a new location in 2024

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - On South Broad Street, there’s a place outside of school that students can call their own. Since 2018 MY Place, or Mankato Youth Place, has been working to create a safe place for kids to learn and grow with its summer and after-school programming.

“The thing that makes MY Place so special is the kids that we serve,” MY Place Executive Director Erin Simmons said. “We serve some of the most amazing kids in our community and the way that our community comes around our kids is just so exciting to see.”

The Mankato City Council authorized a resolution for MY Place to purchase this building from the city on the south side of town near Minnesota State for $510,000. It’s currently empty but was formally a COVID vaccination site.

“We are excited to move to the new space on Stadium Road that would allow us to serve more kids and be in closer proximity to a higher density of kids,” Simmons said.

This purchase could not have come at a better time for MY Place. They are back up to pre-pandemic level numbers, and soon they will be able to serve more kids, with more space, in a more accessible area.

Simmons says that this site was analyzed by their team in terms of proximity to neighborhoods and schools in the area and space to fit their growing numbers. The program is set to double in size serving from 150-200 kids in the Mankato area.

“We can grow a smidgen in the space that we are in but not a lot. So we are excited to double our space and be able to serve more kids,” Simmons said.

The purchase is entering the early phases of planning and working with contractors. Simmons says they hope to be fully moved into the space by fall 2024.

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