The following letter to the editor was submitted by Cathy Thompson:
I am writing to thank you for your wonderful publication, which lists all of the goings on in Pelham. However, when I see the MCC upcoming events, I cannot help but feel saddened that there’s rarely anything that would interest our teen population. I see Pickleball, Men and Women’s Shinny, Spin classes, Hatha yoga, Adult only skating, Zumba and Public skating. Where is the Drop - in basketball, or volleyball, or even the occasional rec night for teens to meet up? There is daytime basketball and volleyball but our teens are at school. There isn’t a pool as we all know. So hockey in winter is pretty much it. The YMCA in Welland has a ton of programs for teens but we don’t. Could anyone explain why? I have seen parents complain online about kids hanging out at Circle K and also getting into trouble. Maybe they need some interesting sports programs and some resources for locating work? We need to do better as a town and community!
Cathy Thompson
Fenwick
EDITOR'S NOTE: In our experience, outside school hours the MCC seems positively swarming with rug rats, bless their energetic, Axe Body Sprayed little hearts. But just to confirm, we requested Town comment. Communications Specialist Leah Letford responds:
The What's Happening list is a snapshot of the drop-in programs that are offered at the Meridian Community Centre. In addition to the drop-in programs, there are activities that run with registration, as well as those provided by outside organizations. The youth organizations that offer programs at the MCC include Niagara Centre Skating Club, Pelham Minor Hockey, Pelham Lacrosse and Pelham Basketball. Additional youth organizations offer activities at outdoor fields in Pelham including Pelham Soccer and Pelham Minor Baseball. Many of the organizations are volunteer-led and they provide exceptional programming and opportunities for Pelham youth. Drama and art programs have also been offered at the facility by instructors at various times throughout the year. There are also unique opportunities for youth to get involved with the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Collective, which has provided forums, public skating and contests to Pelham youth. The Town also offers PD day camps, as well as summer camp programming at the MCC. In addition to the regular programming, the facility hosts many community-led events. Find a listing of available clubs, groups and organizations online here. A full listing of available programs and activities at the MCC can also be found at www.pelham.ca/mcc
