La PORTE — Young people have a few ideas for developing downtown and the lakes to encourage others to stay or return to their hometown.
Members of the La Porte Youth Council suggested kayak rental, more public art, regular movie nights, more holiday decorations for downtown, a dog-friendly municipal park and enhanced ice-skating opportunities.
These were some of the ideas offered in the La Porte Youth Downtown and Lakes Development Plan, a project of the state My Community, My Vision program.
“This is a roadmap for us to acknowledge, something from homegrown planners, things that will get youth excited about living here and encourage them to come back to live,” city Plan Director Beth Shrader told City Council members Monday night.
The council passed a resolution adopting the plan.
La Porte Youth Council, made of high school students and sponsored by the La Porte Jaycees and the city, was selected as a participant in the 2017-18 state program, according to Drew Gesse, the Jaycees’ liaison to the group.
The My Community, My Vision program is a partnership among the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Ball State University and local units of government, “developed with the belief that young people should not have to leave their hometowns in order to achieve their dreams,” the resolution said.
Funding could be available for some of the ideas, Shrader said. The group is schedule to make a presentation of the plan later this month in Indianapolis.