New Castle County executive Marcus Henry said he's pushing for more youth-centered programs, services and spaces.
The county already has several programs in place for young people, including summer camps and the Youth Workforce Development Program.
Henry and others active in the county spoke about their goals for making more spaces welcoming and accessible to young people at the Route 9 Library this week. Henry said he wants to see more safe places for kids in the county, and there are barriers in place that need to be addressed in order to make that happen.
“Transportation is a big one, obviously,” Henry said. “Sometimes funding, and we were at almost no cost for our programs. But we just want to create incentives and opportunities for the families, for their young ones to enjoy our county programs county wide, by the way.”
Henry added his goal overall is for county programs to reach more kids.
Henry’s plan to do that includes strengthening partnerships with school districts, the Boys and Girls Club and other local organizations and programs involved with young people.
Dayana Davis-Reed is a student at William Penn High School and lifeguards at the Surratte Pool, which was at risk of being shut down for some time.
Davis-Reed said places like the pool need to be protected for young people like herself.
“The youth is a big part of what's going to happen next and what's ongoing…” Davis-Reed said. “I want to see more businesses, community-based businesses, more green spaces, more healthier water and healthier air spaces.”
Henry concurred, saying his office is taking new steps to strengthen youth services across the county.
“We need these safe, supportive environments for these kids,” Henry said.
Surratte Pool has seen major improvements lately, including an upgraded lifeguard stand, bathroom renovations, resurfacing and WiFi. Future work is set to improve the fencing and security.
