Temecula holds final meeting for youth master plan

Temecula believes children are meant to be seen, and moreover, heard.

Dec. 6, Temecula residents of all ages met at City Hall to give their input during a Youth Master Plan workshop.

The city of Temecula and MIG, a planning company contracted to create the plan, presented the workshop.

MIG asked six questions at the meeting:

1. What new facilities does the city need?

2. What new organized activities does the city need?

3. How can the city keep young people safe?

4. How can the city create a mentoring program?

5. How can the city give young people job and life skills?

6. How can the city form partnerships with private businesses to fill these needs?

"We’re coming down to the home stretch with the plan," said Andy Pendoley, a project manager with MIG. "People see [making the plan a reality] is going to take a lot of different efforts."

MIG will finish the plan in February. They will then bring it to the city council for approval.

Pendoley feels confident the council will approve the plan.

Though the plan will not effect any changes in the city directly, it will indirectly guide every decision the city makes that would affect young people.

City officials will consult the plan when they make decisions involving services for young Temecula residents.

Herman Parker, Temecula’s community services director, hears one request continually from young people.

They need someplace to be.

Living in a sprawling city, children have difficulty finding anyplace they can go Advertisement

Barrier Reef Pools to meet with friends, Parker said.

The city is looking into how to fill this need.

"It could be a variety of different things," said Parker. He named teen centers and recreation centers as two possibilities.

The second biggest need, he said, is for counseling services.

According to the parents, the needs of their children are slightly different.

"The best thing the [city] could do is fix Winchester," said Robert Medof, whose son attended the meeting. "I’m teaching my kid to drive… next to New York City or San Francisco; I can’t think of a worse place to teach a kid to drive."

The best thing the city already does for children is maintain numerous parks, he said.

His son, Justin, said providing better public transportation is the best thing the city could do.

Next on his list was a bowling alley.

A tennis league would be the best improvement the city could make, according to Kelsey Winslow, 16.

Candie Russell, 18, and Melissa Nguyen, 14, agree that a place to "hang out" is the most important thing the city can provide.

"I know a lot of people who’re looking for places to go," said Russell.

"That would get us motivated to get out and have fun rather than just sit around the house," said Nguyen.

Communication has long been a roadblock for the city, which offers services to young people of which many at the meeting reported never hearing.

Several teenagers suggested replacing the fliers with e-mails, and even MySpace messages.

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