A new youth centre is to be established in Lincoln after the project received nearly £5m from the government's MyPlace initiative as part of efforts to keep young people out of trouble.

The new facility, which will be called The Showroom, is expected to open by March 2010. Run by the YMCA, it will focus on providing a place to go for isolated young people, particularly those with disabilities or who have been excluded from mainstream education. Plans for the new centre include a gym, a climbing wall, a cyber café, a recording studio and gaming facilities, as well as a performing arts centre, dance classes, and on-site support for sexual health issues and life skills training.

Lincolnshire County Council executive councillor for secondary education and healthier communities, Christine Talbot, said: "Our bid ticked all the boxes, focusing on the attractive and safe things for young people to do, targeting more young people – particularly the most disadvantaged – towards positive activity."