Young people are getting their chance to shine in the RM of Ritchot. As part of a broader effort to increase engagement between Ritchot’s youngest residents and their government, a delegation of five students from École St. Adolphe School appeared in front of council at a special meeting, held at the school on the morning of Monday, April 23, to propose some key youth priorities for the community’s undeveloped greenspace in the new Tourond Creek neighbourhood.
The ten-acre parcel of land is located directly east of the St. Adolphe Arena, on the other side of the old dike. When the Tourond Creek subdivision is filled in, this park will be located right at the center of town.
“St. Adolphe is a fast growing community and with a rising population, the needs of the town will go up,” said 13-year-old Ayon Regehr. “Though St. Adolphe already has a park, because of the Red River it is frequently covered by water in the springtime.”
Regehr noted that many new families will soon be moving into the community, including many new Canadians, and better recreation facilities will be needed to accommodate them. Specifically, he cited the lack of adequate soccer pitches in the municipality.
In 14-year-old Ryan Loewen’s remarks, he revealed the results of a recent recreation survey conducted among 50 Grade Seven and Eight students from École St. Adolphe School.
“The survey questioned students on what they would like to see in an outdoor recreational facility,” Loewen said. “One of the most popular features was a multiuse trail which could include skateboard parkour and bike-friendly additions such as jumps, rails, and ramps. We also believe that a regulation soccer pitch, a toboggan hill, and a playground should be included. As well, at least 40 percent of survey respondents stated they would use each of these features one to three times a week.”
Loewen added that these outdoor features could be used for multiple activities, such as ultimate Frisbee, downhill biking, and cross-country skiing, and appeal to all generations.
“Studies show that people who spend more time outside are happier and more able to learn,” said Justis Hellegards, a 14-year-old who has lived north of St. Adolphe in the Howden area all his life. “Physical activity helps burn off excess energy and helps prevent disease.”
In particular, Hellegards pointed out that because many young people aren’t involved in organized sports, the park should contain features beyond soccer pitches and baseball diamonds.
Twelve-year-old Bentley Stansel, the youngest member of the delegation, turned his attention to some of the most practical considerations.
“One consideration for this greenspace would be water accessibility,” Stansel noted. “This could be done with some sort of shelter. With that, you would also need to hire a caretaker to take care of the facility. Another consideration would be planting trees throughout the park. We also feel that washrooms are a must.”
In addition, Stansel mentioned the need for new fencing and an adjacent parking lot.
After the presentation, all members of council praised the delegation for their thorough work. Councillors Janine Boulanger and Shane Pelletier were particularly taken with the notion of a multiuse trail system, and Councillor Ron Mamchuk encouraged the students to take a look at similar facilities in other communities, such as the skateboard facility at St. Vital Arena in Winnipeg. Mamchuk also cautioned them that bringing a proposal such as theirs to reality would take some time, but he expressed optimism that council could work alongside them to get something done.
“We have a bylaw where we allow junior councillors on our council, and we’ve been working on getting that,” said Mayor Chris Ewen after the conclusion of the meeting. “I want to think out of the box about how we can include not just one or two students, but how we can get everyone involved. So the rec director Amber Mamchuk and I kind of put our heads together and we thought, ‘Why don’t we do something in school?’ Which I thought was a genius idea. Amber’s been kind of spearheading this whole thing. She got the schools involved, she got the students involved, and then she even got the students to do a delegation.”
Ewen adds that he hopes the delegates will take the next steps and come back to council in the near future.
“We have the greenspace in that Tourond Creek area,” he says. “They’ve brought some great points up, such as soccer pitches, which are very limited in the Ritchot area, and skateboard parks, which I don’t think we have any permanent ones. We’re optimistic about what we can do. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, because there’s quite a process, looking for funding for example, but I hope to hear from them again.”
Beyond the specifics of this delegation’s requests, Ewen also hopes that by giving students a taste of how a municipal council operates, down the road more young people will be interested in applying for the junior councillor positions.
A second student delegation, this one from Île-des-Chênes, is on the docket for another special council meeting in May. Ewen says that he doesn’t know what they’re going to bring to the table, and that’s the way he likes it.
“I’m going to be surprised,” Ewen says. “I did meet with [the St. Adolphe] delegates before council a couple of days before, just to give them an idea on how council meetings are going to run. But they didn’t tell me anything about what they were going to present, which I liked, because it puts me on the spot to really think about it.”
