Students get their say in city plans

By STACIE SNOWMorning Star Staff Jun 06 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/

City planners are taking steps to make decisions driven by the community. And the Official Community Plan is asking future leaders what they want the Vernon of tomorrow to look like. Dean Strachan, of the City of Vernon, met with Student Voice representatives from Seaton and Kalamalka Secondary schools recently to discuss land use and policy development. “We are trying to get people excited about what we are doing and receive as much breadth and perspective as we can,” said Strachan. “The community, especially the young people, need to bring to the table what they want because that is the only way we can fulfill our responsibility to ensure that the policy reflects their needs.” Seaton vice-principal Malcolm Reid is enthusiastic about the educational and political benefits of the meeting. He said that the Student Voice representatives have taken a huge leap from making changes within the school district to impacting the entire community. “We are jumping out of the textbook and giving these students the tools they need to be leaders in the community starting today,” he said.

The Student Voice groups are composed of the schools’ student councils and the youth are excited about getting their voices heard. “We are the future,” said student Kim Friesen. “We will make a difference one day. We have a lot of ideas that never get taken into consideration because of our age.” Seaton student Adrienne Sanders agreed that it is time for the youth to have their voices heard. “We can listen to the other students and know what they want and what they are thinking,” she said. “It’s impossible to portray that when adults are doing the talking for you.” The students met with Strachan after school and looked over a map of the city where they pointed out what they liked and disliked about recreational areas, residential communities, roads and commercial land. The student representatives came up with countless improvements and alterations including cleaning up Kal Beach, creating wider bike paths, expanding the bus route, limiting the land on which houses can be built, the construction of a boardwalk on Okanagan Lake and creating plaques in areas that will share Vernon’s heritage with locals and visitors. Strachan will bring the student suggestions to Smart Growth B.C. where they will be considered for further policy development. Student council sponsor Paul Brittan was pleased with the outcome of the meeting. “This is the kids really making a difference on a district level,” he said. “They write down what they want and actually get the satisfaction of knowing that something will be done about it. “Maybe one day they will be driving on the road that they helped plan.”

The Official Community Plan is also opening up the planning process to parent advisory councils at elementary schools and to the general public on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Okanagan Landing School and June 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.