Craig Gilbert | [email protected]
Jasper councillors on Tuesday got some context for a conversation that started with teens and trouble and pool passes earlier this year.
Jasper Junior/Senior High School principal Mark Crozier and Jasper Elementary School principal Jodi Campbell presented to the committee of the whole on May 22, describing a barrier for kids who stop getting free pool passes in Grade 7.
That year, the price jumps to $7.75 per visit. The change for the students is starker still because of the move in buildings from JES to JJSHS, down the road and closer to the Jasper Aquatic Centre, yet farther away.
“Unfortunately, (JAC) charges more and provides fewer amenities for this single youth entry fee than all other activity and recreation centers in the surrounding Yellowhead County,” the principals’ presentation said. “The cost quickly becomes very prohibitive when youth are asking parents to go several times a week.”
Their data indicates Hinton has a one-day youth pass that grants access to the pool, climbing wall and rink. It costs $5, and there are also $2 swims three times a week. In Edson, a $4.25 youth pass grants access to the pool, wave pool, rink for skating and the fitness centre. It also has a $2 special a number of times a year, plus free swimming on the first Friday of the month.
Coun. Scott Wilson chaired the meeting and is the lone council member on the Recreation and Culture advisory committee. He suggested a pilot project that could provide the town with its own data, with $2 swims one night a week or even more. Coun. Helen Kelleher-Empey agreed trying out a toonie night would be a good idea.
“Socially, we should really look this,” she said. “It could really be worthwhile. I’d also like to find out how many young people take advantage.”
Coun. Jenna McGrath said charging parents even when kids are free creates another barrier.
“We had some excellent numbers where we had free swims for families that brought in 40 kids.”
Mayor Richard Ireland warned to be wary of the parameters of a pilot project, and how its success would be measured.
“I’m not opposed to trying any number of things but we have to be very careful about how we interpret results,” he said. “We could do a study. It might be that those that take advantage are the happy well-adjusted ones, not the depressed ones, so we could have good numbers and not have any impact on the CAT concern.”
McGrath urged her peers to look beyond the balance sheet when valuing recreation and socialization opportunities for young people.
“If we have youth engaged in wellness today, 50 years from now we’ll have healthier adults.”
She said it was well within the expertise of the members of the school-aged community action team (CAT) to provide a framework for a pilot.
“Teens are looking for wellness mentors,” McGrath said after the meeting. She owns Jasper Wellness. “Being a woman in town that teens are being asked to collaborate with in a mentorship type role, two of the only other venues in Jasper that provides wellness opportunities are the aquatic and recreation centre. The people that work the front desk to janitorial to maintenance to the lifeguards, those relationships that can be formed through mentorship is invaluable.”
Coun. Bert Journault said teens who aren’t busied with summer work are at risk of falling through the cracks.
“Where do they go?” he asked. “I encourage to you to be as novel as you can to accomplish some results there.”
