Community members made a case for additional programming for tweens and teens at local community centres during the March UNA Board of Directors meeting.
Risa Sargent was one of two concerned parents present and addressed directors at the meeting. She said current programming is not meeting the needs of youth between the ages of 8-12 (tweens) and teenagers, particularly on weekends. She has described the demographic as “one of the most underserved groups for community centre programs”.
“Parents are concerned about this,” Sargent said during her presentation. “One thing that would really help out in Wesbrook Village is a supportive community centre.”
Current challenges she cited include finding programs at the right times, as well as suitable programming.
“Tweens and teens have a very high need of programming that is nearby since they cannot drive and still need activities that allow them the independence to be active and meet their friends,” Sargent wrote previously in correspondence with the UNA that was included in the meeting’s agenda.
“We find that this is a common issue among our parent friends that live at UBC.”
Addressing Sargent’s comments, Dave Gillis, the UNA’s recreation manager, said the UNA attempts to meet the needs of pre-teens and teens with weekly drop-in activities at the Wesbrook Community Centre’s gym, as well as additional youth programming.
Demand for more programs and space has been on the rise at UNA community centres, with community members asking for more specific programming, including pickleball. Gillis previously told The Campus Resident, “Our programming team works carefully to ensure that all programs are balanced.”
Following the meeting, UNA director Jake Wiebe said the UNA wants to be inclusive to all age groups, particularly tweens and teens.
“[It’s] a very important segment of our resident population that may need more options that we currently are not providing,” he said.
RCMP Crime Report
Directors also received a local crime report from Sgt. Josh Strikwerda of the UBC RCMP during the March meeting.
Calls for service, which include instances of officers responding to reports of crime as well as non-criminal issues, were reported as nearly identical from 2024 to 2025. Strikwerda said RCMP officers had 2622 calls for service last year, with September being the busiest month.
Looking at data from January 1 to March 31 for both 2024 and 2025, Strikwerda reported a 3 per cent decrease in total crime. However, violent crime was up just over 8 percent, driven by increases in cases of sexual assault and criminal harassment.
Trends in property crime were flat over the same time period, with double digit decreases in breach/bail violations and adult breach of probation.
EMMANUEL SAMOGLOU IS THE MANAGING EDITOR OF THE CAMPUS RESIDENT.