Sunday, August 17, 2008

Skate Parks and Other Stuff!

Hey this is my first foray into 'blogworld!' Standing as a Greens candidate for Lake Macquarie City Council means a lot to me. I am passionate about our beautiful city and believe stronger frameworks need to be in place to protect from unsustainable development. I also believe that the people of Lake Macquarie need to have more of an input into what happens in their suburb.As a mother of three children I will stand strongly on better facilities for parents, children and youth.

The current debate on skate parks is interesting in that it has polarised the community of Swansea. I believe young people have a right to their own facilities and should be encouraged to self-manage the park through a youth committee. Residents have expressed fears such parks attract a 'hoodlum element.' However, with local youth managing the area, potential troublemakers from both inside and outside the local area could be well-managed. I believe open and honest communication between stakeholders to be paramount, therefore I would encourage a youth committee to meet with residents to ensure misunderstandings are minimised and everyone works together to get the best of all worlds!