HUMBOLDT — Local high school students would like to see more recreational opportunities such as an arcade venue and a disc golf course as well as fast-food restaurants, Humboldt Council members learned at their meeting Monday night.
Delivering the news were three Iola High School students who serve as interns at Thrive Allen County. The Iola students, Chris Holloway, Brigham Folk and Shelby Peters, met with about 30 Humboldt students on March 30, as a part of their goal of meeting with youth across Allen County.
Also on the wish list is an updated Humboldt swimming pool.
In terms of programs, the Humboldt students said they would like either a community service club or the school district to adopt a similar program to Iola’s SAFEBASE after-school program where elementary students participate in activities such as cooking, sports and crafts with either adults or high school students.
Iola’s after-school program has 197 students enrolled, ranging from kindergarten to 6th grade. Its hours are from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
“I can personally tell you that it really helps kids engage with older students and adults because I went through it,” Folk said. “It was a great time.”
Mayor Nobby Davis thanked the students for their input and remarked on the value of the youths discussing such matters with each other.
“They look at us like we’re aliens,” he quipped.
As to the development of a disc golf course, it’s now in the making.
Council members approved Matt Korte’s request to install a course at Camp Hunter. Korte, a Humboldt contractor, said he can do the job at no cost to the city thanks to the help of other volunteers.
In another matter, Korte and Clint Johns told the Council of sewer problems with their properties on the south end of town.
Neither of their properties are directly connected to sewer mains.
“There’s nothing between Pine and Ohio on 7th Street and there’s nothing between 7th and 8th on Ohio,” said Korte. “So, you’ve got two blocks where there’s no sewer.”
For Korte, it means “constant backups.”
For Johns, it means he can’t pursue a building project.
