Ward 5 Councillor Marc Grant agrees with town staff that the trouble caused by youth in Ward 5, and the rest of Oakville is a problem that needs a solution.
[Editor: Feedback from the public has been divided on this issue. Be sure to read the comments in our recent article titled Vandalism and rowdy behavior across Oakville]
“We were all kids once, and you know what happens when you’re bored,” Grant said.
“All I can speak from is my experiences. We have a number of homes near schoolyards and parks. These parks become the kinds of places where kids like to congregate and have their bush parties,” Grant said.
“And when they have a bush party, they go running down the street screaming and smashing things.”
“My take is that there is a large amount of youth in Oakville are finding less to do, so they amuse themselves in other ways,” he said.
They have been finding things to do – which Grant mentioned would be stealing garden gnomes or tossing a birdhouse through a car window.
Wide spread problem?
According to Halton Regional Police Services, the number of mischief calls in 2009 were down verus 2008 and versus 2007.
In a recent Poll conducted by Oakville.com we asked respondents “Have vandalism/rowdiness in your neighbourhood?”. More than 80% of the responses were “NO”. View the Poll results
Solution?
Town staff has recommended a strategy to reduce the rowdy behavior seen across Oakville, which includes the hiring of a Community Development Officer, security lights, and cameras in places that are considered hot spots for this behavior.
The plan will cost the town upwards of $170,000, and won’t be up for discussion until November – according to Grant.
“I really feel we need to get everything in place sooner rather than later because were running out of things for kids to do in Oakville. We need to work on making it better,” he said.
“Our parks and recreation department has been working very hard to make sure we have the facilities for youth to be active in. Hopefully we can attract new businesses so we can get more entertaining venues to work out their energy in Oakville.“
What Oakville youth are saying
Alex Hollinsworth, a 19 year old who has lived in Oakville for the past five years is aware of the trouble that the youth have been causing in her town.
She feels there really is nothing for youth to do in Oakville, and there is nothing catering to their interests such as music venues or shops to spend time in.
“It’s not just Oakville,” Hollinsworth said.
“The kids in Oakville are really frustrated because it’s labeled as an older, wealthier town. Everybody thinks we’re rich. Everybody thinks we get everything that we want, but I don’t even know many kids that are more than well off,” she said.
Geoff Burke a 19 year old who has been living in Oakville for the last year agrees that the youth are causing trouble because of the lack age appropriate entertainment.
“Kids around here, they get drunk,” Burke said.
“It would definitely be because there is nothing to do in Oakville, unless you have money. Kids are easily entertained by that stuff.”
“Make things more accessible,” he said. “The transit system is really bad. It’s a pain to get up and down town, which is where the there is stuff to do.”
Any time soon?
Residents are going to have to live with the situation for now, as the strategy presented by staff will not be implemented this summer.
“Right now at the start of summer it seems to be bad,” Councillor Marc Grant said. “I wouldn’t say its worse or better, it’s just active again. Maybe it has something to do with the heat.”
What’s your opinion? Please Comment below and vote in our Latest Poll at http://www.oakville.com
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