By Jim Brown
jim@peicanada.com

It seemed like a great notion when 14-year-old Drew Murphy pitched the idea for a youth centre to Alberton Town Council last spring.

Drew, accompanied by several supporters, was encouraged by the reception he received from councillors.

It seemed the proposal would take root, especially with letters of support from the Alberton Lions Club and the Alberton and Area Development Corporation.

But little has happened since.

“I felt they were going to do it,” said Drew, who went on to say the subject has come up several times among classmates at his school.

“I’d say a lot of people are probably disappointed,” he said, adding he plans to bring the issue to Council’s attention in the near future.

Councillors are working on this year’s budget and Drew is hoping the proposal will get a fresh look.

Drew suggested the youth centre could be stocked with pool and air hockey tables. He also suggested classes could be organized covering a wide range of interests including karate and guitar instruction. Help with homework could also be offered, provided tutors could be found.

Drew already has a potential home for the youth centre picked out - Alberton’s historic railway station, left vacant when councillors and staff moved to their new town hall.

“I think that would be a good place for it,” he said.

Other locations, such as Access PEI building, were discussed by councillors.

The Alberton youngster acknowledged a vigourous fundraising effort would be needed to sustain a youth centre as well as a strong volunteer base and secure sources of long-term funding.

If the youth centre were to be located at the old town hall, Drew said supporters could raise funds to cover heating and other expenses by organizing birthday parties and other special events.

A youth centre is needed in Alberton because young people have limited recreational opportunities, said Drew. There is a rink in the community and a bowling alley, and that’s about it, other than video games, he said.

Drew and his father, Alberton-Roseville MLA Pat Murphy, suggested students in Holland College’s Sport and Leisure Management program, based at the Alberton campus, could be approached to provide supervision and support for the centre.

The Alberton MLA said provincial sources of funding might be available if the interest, on the part of Council and the community, could be demonstrated.

He pointed to the Employment Development Agency program as a possible source of support.

Alberton Mayor Mike Murphy, though warm to the youth centre proposal, cautioned there were some big obstacles in the way, such as the lack of interest shown by the community since Drew’s presentation.

A newspaper advertisement seeking residents who wanted to sit on a committee tasked to find recreational opportunities for Alberton (including a youth centre), failed to get a single response.

“We wanted to form a board and see if there was broad citizen involvement,” said Mayor Murphy.

“I’m in favour of anything that will benefit the town,” added the Mayor.

He went on to observe Alberton was a small community with a shrinking population of young people and growing numbers of seniors, as well as limited financial resources.

“We don’t have a lot of money,” he said.

Coun Alan Curtis, also supportive of the concept, expressed skepticism about its potential for success, considering recent history.

About five years ago the Town gave the green light to a skateboard park in the community at a cost in excess of $10,000. But it has only been sparingly used, he said.

“It’s going to be dismantled because it’s (become) a hazard,” said Coun Curtis.

He suspects the rules for using the park might have been too strict for many in the skateboarding community, who did not wish to wear helmets, knee pads and other safety gear.

Coun Curtis said he supports the concept of a youth centre, but it has to be embraced by the wider community and there is no indication that has happened.

Many parents, from which volunteer support would be drawn, are likely too busy attending to their own children’s needs, predicted Coun Curtis. 

“They have only so much free time.”