A local teen recently submitted a letter to Altona town council on a project that he’d like to see happen in the community.
Fifteen-year-old Jonah Schroeder has lived in Altona his whole life and has an idea for an addition to Altona Centennial Park.
“I have visited other parks in nearby towns such as Carman, Winkler, and Morris,” Schroeder told council. “All these towns have workout equipment that is classified as outdoor fitness parks where youth and adults can use the facilities to stay active and fit.
“I enjoy being outside in the summer, but it would be nice to have a place where I could work on my strength and work out with others.”
Schroeder acknowledged that Altona already has indoor gyms, but not everyone can afford a gym membership or find the time to use it.
“If our park had a fitness level to it, parents could bring their kids to the park, and while watching them, enjoy some physical activity themselves. I go to the park every day and know several kids my age that would utilize such a facility,” he said.
Mayor Harv Schroeder says council loves it when younger Altona residents take an interest in the community.
“We’ll get requests like that from younger people sharing their ideas. If we can add something to our facilities that may widen the range of things people can do in the community, that’s always a good idea.”
Schroeder says he is aware that outdoor exercise equipment is available in many communities.
“We haven’t researched how much they are being used, or the cost of these kinds of things. But we’re always willing to take it to council where it would go into our planning session and budget session for next year. Those are things we have to set aside money for.
“When people approach us with ideas such as this, we ask if they’re willing to fundraise, and if we have a place for it, then we can work together to make things happen.”
The mayor adds that you need only look at many of the amenities in Altona, such as the Skate Park and the Community Garden, to know that the community rallies for projects such as this.
“I always look forward to working with groups like that. Jonah did mention placing it the playground area. I don’t know if that’s specifically where we would be putting it. We would work with the Recreation Department and find out if this is something that fits in that area, because you don’t want to put things in without a good plan.
“There is definitely space, but we have other people that have requested different things as well. Disc golf came about because a number of people expressed interest, and its use this summer was great.”
Having a youth rep on council definitely gives them a perspective of different needs in the community, Mayor Schroeder says.
“It’s always positive when you have young people with ideas that will enhance your community but it’s always hard to fulfill those ideas right away,” he says. “Those are things that are good to have on the table and see if they are what the community wants and needs. We’ll take a good look at it before we make a decision on it, but if there is a lot of interest, we’ll definitely have a conversation with Jonah and see where this goes.”
