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Q2: Support In Transitions From Childhood To Youth And Adulthood |
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If you are elected to City Council, how will you:
- Support for universal access to affordable recreational facilities and activities throughout the city with well scheduled public transit?
- Create a welcoming and inclusive environment for youth in our community where they will be actively involved in the affairs of their own community.
- Create more public youth-friendly spaces?
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Lynne Christiansen |
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My answer builds on the previous one - focusing on children: I believe in youth activities. I will push for all we can do within our budget.
We need a civic/community centre. We used to have one - it was a great place open to everyone, place where everyone was included. It wasn't just supporting activities that are out of reach of most families.
I would like to establish a youth committee to advise the City Council. We have seniors and other special groups committees, it's time we have one for youth.
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Lorrie Gowen: |
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Having affordable access to recreational facilities goes hand in hand with a well scheduled public transit system. Public transit is, believe it or not, supposed to be for the public, not just those that can afford it. I also believe that bus routes to schools, recreational facilities, and shopping facilities should be direct and should not need transfers, bus times should also be coordinated.
There are not many welcoming and inclusive places for our youth to engage in healthy, positive recreation. Every community that I lived in prior to moving to Terrace had a community center. We need more community centers, and I believe there is an opportunity to work with the school district (who has the space), government agencies, RCMP, and the City to coordinate staffing and activities.
As well there could be an opportunity to build a facility for youth. It’s important that if we go this route, that the youth are involved in the building of the facility. It will give young people pride and ownership in the building and this (as studies show) dramatically lowers the vandalism rates.
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Carol Leclerc: |
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a) The director of leisure services will be looking at bettering opportunities to recreational facilities. If the fares for City Transit’s are reduced or waived, and they are very affordable now, Council will have to look at increasing taxes or making reductions in other areas of the city budget.
b) I believe that we offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for youth in our community. In this last term, City Council supported the Bike Skills Park and the new Bike Trails on Terrace Mountain. We have seen the completion of the Phase I and II of the Sportsplex where there is more opportunity for sport and youth programming. I believe that youth are made to feel welcome on the very few times they come to Council meetings. I believe City staff make youth feel comfortable if they were to address a certain department.
c) I am open to suggestions. I think it’s time that a youth were asked if they would like to have a committee that could be advisors to Council on issues they see are important.
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Bruce Martindale: |
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Support in transitions seems to speak to the question of change in general. I think it is up to Parents and Educators to prepare our children for change, and for our social and health services to assist citizens who stumble when confronted with catastrophic change. Therefore, I will support all these systems as resources allow, and lobby to increase financial support in those areas that are underfunded, or in the case of a new hospital or detox centre, aggressively develop the resources to break ground.
I am also a believer in recreation as a tool to release stress and develop community support. In that I have been hands on in developing trails, playgrounds and parks. A community that communes provides support for those times of personal stress. The Library is an important part of this puzzle as it is a place for the community to learn and grow intellectually together.
Finally, we need to accept that our community is diverse, and that all citizens add value in their own way. Respect is the key to providing support that is appreciated and therefore successful.
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Jack Talstra |
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a) Please refer to the previous discussion under section 1 since those responses also apply here. Public transit in Terrace, I believe, is reasonable but there is always room for improvement.
b) I do believe we desperately need a drop-in type community centre and this is high on my priority list. If Council agrees, I will work to see this in place during the next term.
c) Our parks can cater to youth better. Our school gyms can cater to youth better. The building of the community centre will cater to youth along with our expanded Sportplex and meeting rooms for “other” recreation.
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James Cordeiro |
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When council makes decisions that impact young people (i.e. skate park) it is important that they have a say in the design and location of the facilities. They need to feel they are part of the process. Council could encourage more youth participation at council meetings (hopefully normal boring meetings will become a little livelier).
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Marylin Davies |
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A – The age old problem of who’s going to pay is a very difficult one. I would encourage staff to continue to have free skating and free swimming on a limited but regular basis. As I mentioned earlier we do not set transit fees nor do we control the scheduling. There may be some possibility for groups to rent the pool or arenas at a reduced rate in order to provide service to specialized groups and I would support that.
As to the safe parks, community centres, schools and libraries: I would like to see some liaison with the school board so that gyms could be open for activities in non school hours. There are homework clubs available now.
B – I suggested at the all candidates meeting that we form a Youth Advisory Group to the city and assist them in formation, procedure and outcome of their ideas.
C -Community safety is everyone’s business. We have just recently restored two RCMP to the streets and they will be working with the young people in both a uniform and non uniform presence.
There are activities created for youth by churches, special interest groups, art gallery, music festival, various individual groups such as Kermode Friendship, as well as your own. I feel my job as a liaison is to present the projects to council and have staff investigate if they fall within the criteria for assistance. If they don’t we can sometimes change a policy to supersede the current one.
We need buy in from the transitional age group that they will be interested in participating in these programs. There needs to be a willingness on behalf of youth to make it happen. Working “with” you and not “for” youth will build self esteem and leadership skills.
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Dave Pernarowski |
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I would like to see more funding provided to programs like the one offered by Canadian Tire called “Jump Start”, designed to allow more underprivileged children to participate in organized sport. The idea to include public transit passes is a good one that could be incorporated into the Jump Start program or made available through our Recreation department.
One of my platform ideas is to start a Youth Task Force comprised partly of youth committee members. We need our youth to become more actively involved. This would be a good start.
We need a Community Centre. And I think one centrally located centre makes more sense than trying to coordinate all the schools to be open with staff in each location. A community centre would give our youth a place to meet and play and would allow our diverse cultures a chance to get together in a non threatening environment.
I would like to see the skateboard park moved to a more visible location so our children can be safe. Our community also needs safe bike routes throughout Terrace.
I would also be looking for a community based task force to spearhead the development of an accessible walking and bike overpass from Kalum and Keith over to the George Little House to give our children (and adults) access to the rest of Terrace and a safe place to cross the tracks.
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Dr. Bruce Bidgood |
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What’s wrong with the youth today….they just don’t listen….we weren’t like that when we were kids!
Sound familiar? Probably every generation back to James Dean’s “Rebel without a Cause” and who knows maybe throughout time immemorial has expressed such feelings.
The answer….there is nothing wrong with them. They don’t agree with us…they don’t behave like us…guess what, that’s there job to be different and in doing so forge for themselves their own identity and opinions which are independent from their parents/adults. Perhaps some of the blame about youth problems reside with us in that we just don’t listen or ask youth what they want.
I would advocate asking youth what they would like from Terrace….set up a survey kiosk in Ruins, Internet Café etc. I would encourage the City to establish a “Youth Council” comprised of local Secondary and High School students to meet with City Council on a regular (i.e., perhaps quarterly) basis. Youth know what they want and are pretty insightful about potential solutions to youth-related problems.
Let’s ask them!
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Brian Downie |
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Youth friendly spaces are important to the lifestyle and health of the community. I am concerned that the opportunities for meeting and recreation have limited what youth can do, and this should be given careful thought. Youth have ideas about what they want and need and these should be integrated with our future plans.
I believe that our Sportsplex will be a successful meeting and recreational space that creates opportunities for new and established skaters. The building is also an attraction to youth who come to support their friends and who just want to “hang-out”.
Our next project in Terrace for youth must be a plan for a Community Center. The ability of youth to participate in informal recreation, to meet friends and to learn in non-school settings is important to create a positive environment for youth to develop. During our long and inclement weather, an indoor facility is needed. An alternative to a central facility would be satellite centers in schools. We have not had agreement with the School District for unorganized use of School gymnasiums. Organized sports or City programs are underway after school hours in Schools; however wider use is an opportunity we should embark upon soon.
Recreation and activity programming in a Community Center will enhance the development and learning opportunities. However, clearly the cost and demand for those services will drive the extent of programming that could be provided.
Developing a large Community Center will take time, as community consultation, design and consensus takes place, as well as finding the funding for such a project. However, unless this work starts soon, the goal of a youth facility will not be met.
Another “youth friendly” initiative will be to look at neighbourhood recreation opportunities. Basketball courts, a relocated skateboard park, more bike trails and green spaces all enable non- winter places for recreation and meeting. Tot Parks are located throughout the City, and could be expanded as we develop new neighbourhoods.
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| Candidate Responses to Q2 |
| Candidates are listed in order in which we received their response. |
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| Introduction |
• Civic leaders can emphasize youth-friendly spaces in areas such as parks, community centres, schools and libraries, and cities and towns can create more safe spaces for youth to congregate.
• Municipalities can create events that children and youth can help plan and be involved in, such as art shows, festivals, or performances.
• Cities can subsidize and increase accessibility to after-school programs offering sports and arts activities, homework clubs, and safe places to meet friends.
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| Topics |
- Commitment To Early Child Development
- Support In Transitions From Childhood To Youth And Adulthood
- Increased Economic Equality
- Safe And Caring Communities
Candidate Q&A Home
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| Candidates |
| Read the complete responses by candidates. Few candidates were not able to respond due to technical difficulties and lack of time. |
| For Mayor of Terrace |
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| For Terrace City Council |
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| We truly appreciate that all candidates made the effort to answer our questions. It wasn't an easy task as you can see.
We would like to thank all candidates for answering or attempting to answer.
We look forward to working with you after Nov 15th. |
| Email us if you have any questions or comments. |
| Other Resources |
| The questions have been based on the First Call Municipal Election Kit: www.firstcallbc.org. |
HELP’s EDI: www.earlylearning.ubc.ca
SPARC BC: Municipality Votes!: www.sparc.bc.ca
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