Collingwood’s 13-year-old temporary youth mayor wants to know why the town doesn’t have a multi-use recreation facility yet.
Grace Johnson was the winner of the town’s Mayor for a Month program, aimed at connecting local youth in grades 7-12 to the town’s local government. She’ll be serving in the position for the month of June.
The Grade 7 student from Admiral Collingwood Elementary School said she was encouraged to apply for the program by her teacher.
“I wanted to help people, and learn how to make choices that might be difficult to make,” Johnson told CollingwoodToday. “I wanted to work on my leadership abilities.”
To apply, youth were asked to write a short essay, record a video essay, or create an artistic rendering explaining why they would want to be mayor for the month.
Johnson said she wrote a 250-word essay explaining what she wanted to learn. She gave her mother’s email address on the application, and late in May, Grace’s mother received an email with the good news.
“I forgot to tell her,” said Johnson, with a laugh. “I was really excited!”
Since being named youth mayor in late May, Johnson’s schedule has been jam-packed with flagraisings, attending town events, meetings with town staff and councillors and a radio interview this week.
On June 17, she’ll attend her first council meeting.
“I wasn’t quite sure how council worked, and I’ve learned about the town hall building. I’m looking forward to learning a lot more,” she said. “I’d like to learn how the structure of the municipal system works. We learn it in school, but I’d like to know more about exactly how Collingwood works.”
Johnson said she intends to ask questions of town councillors regarding the choices they’ve been making, specifically regarding a possible new multi-use recreation facility and the new hospital.
“I want to know what they’re going to do to make those things happen, or how they’re going to try,” she said.
As a hockey player for the Collingwood Girls Lightning, the issue of not having a multi-use recreation facility in Collingwood is at the front of Johnson’s mind.
“We had a hockey tournament a couple of months ago, and we had to use ice in Wasaga Beach, Stayner and Thornbury. Having a recplex would be easier for that,” she said. “Right now, there are a lot of things scattered around town. It would be nice to have it all in one place. It would be more accessible.”
When she grows up, Johnson said she’d like to become a professor of literature, and possibly a child psychologist.
“If I were a professor of literature, I’d probably like to become the dean of a university, which would require leadership skills,” she said.
An avid reader and writer, Johnson said she’s interested in a variety subjects, and tends to read fiction, including historical fiction. Her favourite book is The Hobbit.
Although she still has three weeks left in her post, Johnson said she’s enjoyed the experience so far.
“I like being the youth mayor a lot and I think a lot of other people would like it too,” she said.
Another intake for the Mayor for a Month program will occur this fall. For more information on the program, click here.
