STUDENTS LOOK FOR MAYOR'S SUPPORT

Lindsey Campbell pitches the idea of a youth drop-in centre to Mayor Gail
Surkan on Tuesday. She and others on the Mayor's Youth Council propose
organizing a downtown gathering place where teens can socialize, dance and
gain information on issues important to them. Surkan asked them to work on
finding community partners while she and other city officials mull over how
to help.

High school students in Red Deer plan to open a downtown youth centre to
keep teens from turning to drugs.

The students have formed the Mayor's Council, an eight-member group to
advise Mayor Gail Surkan on issues facing youth and work towards solutions.

The first major initiative is opening a centre where young people can
socialize, hold dances, hear musicians play and take part in other activities.

"Our major concern was that a lot of kids do drugs and substances," said
council president Alicia Brzak, a student at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive
High School.

"We wanted to try to lessen that and provide things for youth to do that
don't cost that much."

Brzak said most of Red Deer's recreation facilities are located in the
south and north. Young people need a central location and they need more
activities than just sports.

"We are looking for something that can connect all youth," she said.

"There's the Collicutt Centre, but if you are not into sports, you don't go
there."

Surkan plans to work with the students in planning, gaining partners and
exploring their role.

"I'm really thrilled about meeting with them and hearing some of their very
coherent thinking about the needs of the community and needs of people in
their age group," said Surkan.

The Mayor's Council was formed in October after a teacher, who acts as
advisor to the student council at Lindsay Thurber, brought up the idea.
Student council president Lindsay Campbell talked to the mayor about it
during the summer.

With the mayor's blessing, eight students from Lindsay Thurber, Notre Dame
and Hunting Hills high schools became the Mayor's Council. The students are
members of student councils at their schools.

The Mayor's Council plans to meet with the mayor monthly to discuss issues
and concerns.

They met for the first time on Tuesday and plan another meeting in February.

The students hope the mayor will help them gain funding and support in the
community for their youth centre.

"We hope to make it the heart of the city, and we are also trying to get
support of the downtown," said Brzak.