By Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Parks and Recreation is using technology to attract more youth to the community centre.
It will all start this summer with a new robotics lab geared to ages 5-16, with a particular focus on girls.
“We’re targeting females because there are not a lot of females in that field,” said interim recreation manager Natalie Alexander.
She noted that by exposing young women to technology it might just blossom into a career for them.
The robotics lab has been fully funded with a $15,000 grant from Interior Savings Credit Union.
Interior Savings CEO Kathy Conway said computer coding and robotics are shaping the future, and they want local youth to have the same advantages that youth have in larger centres.
“The new Interior Savings Robotics Lab will give our kids exposure to a skill that could open doors for them down the road,” Conway said.
Alexander said the lab will be a place where youth progress from simply playing video games to designing them. In this case, they will learn basic coding to make their Lego robots come alive and respond to commands.
The program will facilitate up to 16 kids at a greatly reduced cost due to the funding from Interior Savings.
Alexander explained that they need to think outside of the box and develop something new for youth in Oliver. She acknowledged it has been difficult attracting youth to the community centre, where drop-in skating or floor hockey doesn’t seem to hold their interest anymore.
So Parks and Recreation did some brainstorming and Alexander researched what other communities are doing to entice youth. Technology seemed to be the answer.
Getting the funding was the job for new grant writer/coordinator Shauna Hill, who put together a grant application that was a major success.
Alexander said Oliver Parks and Recreation has set a new precedent with this program, noting the lab will be the first of its kind in the South Okanagan.
