Help stimulate Caledon's youth

Regarding the matter of Citizens on Patrol receiving funding support from the Town of Caledon, ('Citizens on Patrol program supported by council,' Oct. 25), does anybody else see what's wrong with this picture?

Instead of being on the lookout for criminal activity, maybe we should propose a way to prevent it? This will not take dumping $5,000 into a patrol group or new parks. It will take some creative planning and insight to get our kids stimulated. Growing up here in suburbia, I had nothing to do, I must admit. There was nothing "cool" around town that stimulated my groups of friends. I look around now and things have not changed, except the number of kids. More kids with nothing to do = problems! Recently, I walked by St. Nicholas school, which is around the corner from Frank Johnston Rd. In the back of the school, the concrete walls are high and barren. There was no art outside. Nothing stimulating, nothing creative. The school yard really looks like a prison. On a door going into the school, there was a derogatory comment clearly written by a young kid. If there's no art, they will make their own! Personally, if I saw a group walking around and I was a kid again, I would just find a place where they couldn't see me. Yes, kids can be clever too!

It's a widely known fact that your external environment mirrors your internal. So if we have schools and parks that look and function like prisons, we will have disillusioned, unattached and passionless prisoners.

I propose giving me, a 17-30-year-old, the $5,000 that is going to the Citizens patrol group, to staff an after-hours youth centre where youth can hang out without feeling like they're being watched or having to pay $3 to get in. It's time for a less grown-up solution.

For the youth,

Vanessa Butterworth