The Rural Youth Group Committee will present information sessions and fundraising opportunities during the third Annual Downtown Celebration in Burk’s Falls, which will take place on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Not only is the Annual Downtown Celebration a chance to meet committee members and exchange ideas about this exciting new venture, it is a day to meet local businesses, listen to local musical talents, join in on family-friendly games, and much more.
This past winter, the Rural Youth Group Committee galvanized around an idea for exploring more activities for youth within the village and surrounding areas, broadening the focus beyond sports and athletics. With that in mind and donations from local and district businesses, such as Enbridge Gas, the committee plans to designate a temporary site for a drop-in centre for youth this summer until they secure a permanent location.
The goal is to create a safe, welcoming, and fun setting for youth ages 12 to 18 that will foster skill development, interpersonal connections, and enjoyable extracurricular pursuits, allowing youth to discover and enhance their learning and social possibilities.
The Committee launched a student survey in June 2024 at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School to gain input from youth on what types of programming they want to see organized on their behalf. The response was not as robust as hoped for and the committee seeks continued feedback from youth.
Margaret French, Chair of the Committee, points out, “It’s really important to us that the programs are led by the interests of the youth. I mean, we don’t want to assume, we know what kinds of things that they’re interested in or would like us to organize. So, we will have copies of the survey there (May 17th, Annual Downtown Celebration). The Survey link: https://forms.gle/FhPbRUVvYTr1U6T88 is also available on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575140271727.
French and Ashley Brandt, Co-Chair Councillor, shared details with The Doppler about the centre, including plans to hire a full-time youth coordinator and operate from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays. The centre will be open to all youth from the surrounding area, including Huntsville.
“We already have some really special local talent and a really special group of people who have come together and are putting the effort forward to be able to assist with mentoring and maintaining relationships and developing the youth and their skills that they have and bringing new skill sets to them,” explained Brandt.
Kath Roberts, a local tutor, is prepared to run a series of workshops for the centre around different subjects: resume creation, mock interviews, and study skills. Deb Jones, who owns a not-for-profit organization called ‘Strings Across the Sky,’ is offering music-type programs. “She’s got a hundred violins and 40 guitars, but she starts off with wooden spoons, believe it or not, in terms of teaching some of the music skills,” said French.
A local chef has also expressed an interest in creating programs. Plans to include a kitchen at the drop-in centre are also under consideration. For the committee, which includes Mayor Chris Hope, who is very supportive of the initiative, the most important element in the planning stages is the involvement and input from youth so that the centre ultimately reflects the kinds of activities that would draw and keep youth engaged.
“We’re also looking to have the youth help us once we find a location and have raised the funds in order to sustain this as a whole. We’re looking to have the youth help us decorate and give us their sense of what they want to see and how they want to have it set up for themselves. We’re really looking for the youth that take initiative and leadership roles in this,” points out Brandt.
French, who has been a member of the Burk’s Falls Recreation Committee for the past two years, is a recently retired partner from Mercer, a benefits consulting firm in Toronto. She is keenly aware of the volunteer work in local communities and notes the abundance of programs for retirees in the area, but highlights the need for more youth-focused initiatives, pointing out that 20% of Burk’s Falls’ population is under 20 years old and statistics indicate that 35% of students graduating high school are new to the area, demonstrating the area has an influx of families. Creating a space for kids to get together in a rural area is harder than in an urban setting, but the committee believes it is even more essential.
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