'You're Always Welcome': The Honeycomb House is changing lives in Medicine Hat

Written by Chris Brown, Head of Marketing & Community Engagement

Teens are making friends and connections, and finding a community at MHPL

For Cole Payeur, The Honeycomb House has become like a second home. 

"I come here every chance I get. It’s a really nice place to be," he says.

Cole has been coming to the space at Medicine Hat Public Library since it launched in 2023. In fact, the 15-year-old was part of the small groups testing it out before it was opened to all teens last September. 

One year later, Cole is as enthusiastic as ever about The Honeycomb House, which is dedicated and exclusive to teens.

"It means a lot to me because it’s a place I can be myself in, and it’s a place where I can make new friends, a place I can hang out with people that are my age range that actually want to conversate with me," Cole explains. "It’s not like making friends at school. It’s everyone is always being friends with everyone else."

Cole says he likes to play on the gaming systems in the space and that he’s almost always talking to someone. 

He says he was reluctant to attend at first. Now he says The Honeycomb House is a good community to be a part of and he’s become a more social person, something he’s noticed in other teens who come to the space as well. 

The library’s youth advocate, Ev Robertson, spends a lot of time in The Honeycomb House in a supervisory and support role for the teens. They say it’s been cool to witness the journeys and growth of teens over the past year. 

"I’ve seen kids come out of their shells which is basically magic to me," they say.

Robertson says through talking, playing and mutual creative outlets like drawing they are able to build trust with the teens.

That can be a starting point to discussing more serious topics like mental health and addiction.

"We can build that trust up and start that disclosure piece so they feel comfortable to tell me and then we can help them access other resources and supports to help them in their lives," Robertson says.

An open and welcoming place for teens to connect with each other and take a break from the stress of growing up was part of the early vision for The Honeycomb House. 

And we want as many teens as possible to be a part of it.

"If you’re struggling at school or struggling at home or want some more friends, come here," Cole says. "It’s a good place not just to make friends but just to hang out. And you’re always welcome, no matter what."

Follow us on social media: @mhpubliclibrary and @mhplteens