Community / Ten pin bowling idea raised as activity for young people
A LERWICK community councillor has suggested that turning a vacant ex-church hall into a ten pin bowling alley would offer young people another space to go to.
The building in question is the empty St. Clement’s Hall on St Olaf St, which is currently on the market.
At a meeting of Lerwick Community Council on Tuesday, Amanda Hawick questioned if funding from Shetland Charitable Trust could be explored to turn the building into the hypothetical bowling alley into a facility for the whole of Shetland.
It came up during a conversation on antisocial behaviour at the Bressay ferry terminal in Lerwick, which has been used as a congregating point for some young people.
But Hawick said “we need to look a bit deeper rather than the Bressay ferry terminal”.
She said millions of pounds of public money has been spent on sports centres and pitches, which is of benefit to many – “but not all bairns are sporty.”
Hawick highlighted how St. Clement’s Hall is currently on the market and could offer an opportunity to create something like a bowling alley, which would provide a place for youngsters to go.
She also said her child’s friends are “glued” to their computers and say there is nothing for them to go out to.
“Bairns want good, clean, harmless fun, something to entertain them,” Hawick said.
The meeting also heard about spaces already targeted for young people, including the Hub on Lerwick’s Commercial Road – which can offer computer gaming space – and OPEN’s youth cafe.
However community councillor Talitha Lee highlighted a space in Dundee where there are a variety of different activities on offer, including arts, music and sports, as well as a place just to hang out.
She also promoted the idea of young people having a place which they take pride in.
As to the bowling alley idea, Lee said something different and new in Shetland would be good.
“People want to move away from here because there is nothing to do, there’s not exciting things like there is south,” she added.
But community council chairman Jim Anderson questioned whether a ten pin bowling alley was the answer to every instance of antisocial behaviour.
Meanwhile Wayne Leask from the OPEN youth charity said one key aspect is for things being youth-led.
He said OPEN’s youth cafe in the Olive Tree was a big success in attracting a “melting pot” of different young people because it was “light touch” youth work.
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