ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Rockford Park District will have a groundbreaking for its indoor equine center at Lockwood Park on Wednesday.

The center will connect young people with horses, helping with their mental health.

Leaders said that this form of therapy is critical for people who need help with disabilities or other hardships.

“Our young adults, our youth, are under a different kind of stress than we’ve ever seen before,” said Kevin Polky, founder and executive director of KP Counseling. “You know, one aspect of it is coming out of the pandemic and how that impacted them academically and then affected their confidence, and then also from a social emotional standpoint.”

The indoor equine center will cost more than $7 million.