My recent post on
the giant TV screen at city hall has earned me over 2,000 views in just over 24 hours, which is far more than I was expecting. It has also earned me a huge number of comments on Facebook. Most people seemed to agree with me, but a few have apparently branded me as being against the city council and against Welland in general - a hater, as James Takeo might say. They think I am one of those people constantly complaining about how bad this city is, how horrible the people here are, and especially how
there's nothing for kids to do here.
I would like to state, for the record, that I love Welland
. I think it is a great city, and I'm proud to live here. That's just my opinion, of course, and if you disagree with it then you're not wrong.
But it is definitely wrong to say there's nothing for kids to do in Welland, and just to prove it, here's a picture of an event for kids in Welland that happened today:
That's the Quaker Road Sports Complex, where the Victoria Day GlowFest attracted countless children, teens, and parents looking for a few hours of fun. The event was run by the Welland Mayor's Youth Advisory Council, with attractions provided by Niagara Inflatables, Youngs Sportsplex, and the MYAC themselves. The 3-hour event was completely free and a good time was had by all.
A game of Bubble Soccer, provided by Youngs Sportsplex, was a big attraction for kids of all ages. Over the course of the event, a huge number of people used the bubbles, and the game continued until the fireworks began.
This disco-themed bouncy castle also attracted a crowd. Just out of frame is the laser tag zone, which I didn't snap a picture of. It, too, was a success.
As an added bonus, Deadpool himself showed up to provide some live entertainment, making his way through the crowd throughout the event to interact with people.
Finally, here's a shot of a local journalist (regrettably, I didn't catch his name) speaking to Deadpool and some of his young fans.
So in conclusion? Say whatever you want to say about Welland. Say you want to move out as soon as possible. Say it's the armpit of Niagara. Say it should be placed just below Gary, Indiana on the list of 'Worst Places To Live,' if you want to. But please
don't say there's nothing for kids to do here. Cause that just ain't true.
I appreciate your enthusiasm Dario, but one off occasions on a monthly basis do not equate to regular activity for Youth not elementary school children as these activities and photos you have described and published allude to.
ReplyDeleteI am a high school student myself and many of my classmates were at this event. I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the laser tag and lawn games, but those attracted more of the 'youth' crowd. A lot of them also bought food at the canteen, which isn't in my pictures either.
DeleteThis also wasn't a one-off occasion - the MYAC had another event for youth (Ice Cream Social) last weekend, and another (Rock Hard Ride Hard) two weeks before that. Things like this happen all the time in Welland if people are willing to look for them :)
Ok thats one event on a holiday... still doesnt prove theres stuff to do... and its not just the luttle kids... there is nothing for the teens... sure the skatepark... but its outdated and damaged... there should be an arcade... a place for kids to go and just be without having to feel pressured to drink or engage iñ illegal and illicit activities... somewhere they can do art... make music... act... dance... just hangout and feel safe...
ReplyDeleteYounger kids have Rose City Kids... but its only on Saturdays... there needs to be something kids can do everyday... and not just on holidays when the city puts something on all the way on the north west end of town where noone without a car can get to...
Youth Innovations at the Seaway Mall is exactly what you desribed. It's a hangout for teens with video games, a pool table, and lots of safe space to hang out,socialize, study, or whatever else. The whole place is supervised by youth who are role models in the community and there is truly something there for everyone. Anyone is welcome there. Sounds nice, right?
DeleteThis space is barely used. Some of my fellow MYAC members volunteer there and there are shifts where not a single person will come through the door. The problem is not that our city doesn't offer these things... the problem is that nobody is willing to seek them out.