As an attractive destination for youths, downtown Ketchum is just so-so and getting worse, a group of teens told a Ketchum planning consultant Tuesday.
Economic development specialist Tom Hudson has been meeting with various groups to help guide formation of Ketchum's Downtown Master Plan. He solicited opinions from young people during a meeting of the Blaine County Teen Advisory Council at the HUB in Hailey.
He told the group of about 15 Wood River High School students that if Ketchum officials ignore teens' concerns, they will be missing "a huge segment of our people."
"You're representing a lot of young people today and a lot of young people who will be coming after you," he said.
Attendees were quick to offer advice. Since most music takes place in bars, there are few concerts teens can attend, they said. The few venues in which they are allowed and feel comfortable are declining as restaurants move south and prices rise. The closing of a favorite hangout—Bob Dog Pizza—and the construction of two new banks on Main Street pose a disturbing trend, they said.
"How many banks does Ketchum need?" asked Tanya Greenwood.
Whitney Debree said she'd like to see a regular teen activity night. Activities people suggested included music, pool and paintball. Skylar Vollmer said the area regularly loses business to teens who go to Twin Falls to play paintball.
The summer Ketch'em Alive concerts, which take place in the city's Forest Service Park, were pointed to as a positive model. Bronwen Raff, 14, said she'd like to see an ice cream store. There was general support for some kind of restaurant where people aren't required to sit down and can congregate freely.
"There's a little bit of tension between store owners and youths," Debree said. "It's like they don't want us there in Ketchum."
Hudson said that attitude is detrimental to business owners. Teens, he said, carry more cash in their pockets than any other demographic group.
A potential center of activities for teens in Ketchum is the town's Community Recreation Center, located at Atkinson Park. The center, which contains pool tables, foosball and ping pong, closes at 5 p.m. except when it is reserved for parties. In interviews, parks department employees said there had been little discussion about providing teen activities there.
"As the city Parks and Recreation Department, we need to think about that," Parks Supervisor Jen Smith said. "We pretty much reach all the aspects of the community except for teens. If YAK (Youth Adult Konnections) wants to partner with us, then we're super open to that."
The center is open on winter weekends for use of its ice rink. As a courtesy to neighbors, the rink has no lights. However, recreation center Supervisor Maggie Burbridge said the center could hold teen parties on weekend nights when there is a full moon. She said the center has a terrific stereo system.
Smith said future planned expansion of the building could include a teen center.
Several people at the HUB meeting said they would like to see more public transportation to and within Ketchum available during weekend evenings. Friday evening bus service, specifically targeted toward teens traveling from Hailey and Bellevue to Ketchum to see movies, was begun in the summer of 2002 as part of the Peak Bus route. However, it was terminated on Friday, Nov. 18, due to lack of use. Peak Bus Manager Jim Finch said in an interview that use declined particularly since the Bigwood 4 Cinema opened in Hailey.
Hudson said he will present his recommendations to the city in a report in January.
