Restoring pride a must for Milton
METHAMPHETAMINE concerns, improved youth opportunities, and civic pride will be among key issues raised at a Clutha District Youth Council meeting tonight.
The council would also finalise its submission to Clutha District Council’s longterm plan, with improvements to Milton high on the agenda, youth council chairman and Tokomairiro High School representative Bronson Blackbourn (17) said.
Options for a ‘‘makeover’’ for Milton’s main street ranged from ‘‘doing nothing’’, to spending $2 million. The youth council favoured the latter.
A $2.7 million main street upgrade for Balclutha was completed in 2015.
‘‘You look at what’s been achieved in Balclutha and it’s helped restore local people’s pride. We’d like to see a fairer distribution of resources around the district, with some coming our way.’’
A lack of youth opportunities in Milton and the correlated issue of drug abuse were also of concern, Bronson’s fellow council member Annabelle Philps (15) said.
‘‘My dad used to run a youth centre in town, which at least gave people something to do. I’d like to see that reinstated. The skate park is really the only option currently, and that becomes pretty dodgy after dark.’’
Annabelle believed young Milton residents were increasingly exposed to drugs nowadays, including methamphetamine.
‘‘We’ll be asking council to look at some sort of campaign to educate and discourage youth from getting into meth and other drugs.’’
‘‘Positives’’ had come out of a youth councilrun motivational weekend attended by more than 400 year 9 to 13 pupils in Balclutha last month. The council was planning to explore ways to build on its momentum, Bronson said.
‘‘People are still buzzing from it. We want to see how we can be the start of positive change in our community.’’