NEON Rec Day a resounding success
Good time had by all at recreation day
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This article was published 04/04/2012 (5100 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Ralph Brown Community Centre was overwhelmed by a gang of kids last week — and club officials could not have been happier.
The club hosted a one-day spring break event in conjunction with the North End Opportunity Network, or NEON, on March 28.
Kids of all ages had a chance to play table tennis, watch movies, play video games, shoot some hoops and enjoy a slice of pizza.
Nona Pelletier, a volunteer at Ralph Brown, said it had been some time since so many youth visited the facility at the same time.
“The day was a great event. We cooked, baked and cleaned all day. Everyone had a great time,” she said.
North End activist Michael Champagne said attendance at the event was better than originally expected.
North End resident Sabrina Leclair, 21, said events like the NEON recreation day help kids remember there are healthy activities available to them in their neighbourhood.
“To have this many kids back in the community centre is great,” she said.
Pelletier said there needs to be more ongoing and consistent recreational programming for kids in the neighbourhood.
While there have been programs offered in the past, most of them were eventually cancelled, which ended up doing more harm than good, she said.
“This is why youth forget about community programs and older kids who are helping administer the program are sometimes left in limbo,” she said. “It is why kids don’t come back to rec centres.”
Pelletier said organizers of the NEON rec day were so pleased by last week’s turnout they hope to make it a regular event.
“We’ll be doing it again real soon,” she said.
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