Give youth hope

SIR - Regarding the letter from A Mack, Letchworth Garden City, (Comet September 14), I note that you were appalled and disgusted at the vandalism in the Letchworth town centre.

Quite frankly, I was appalled at your letter.

How is it that no one can see that Letchworth has a lot of bored, angry and frustrated young people in the town, and they are not about to disappear because of the cameras or police that overshadow our town. It will get worse. Common sense dictates after each generation comes another.

Our young people have nowhere to go, nothing constructive to do with their leisure time. North Herts Council made a big thing about helping the young people of this town - they did a questionnaire to find out what they wanted and yes, they gave a skateboard park to the skateboarders, and at Glebe Road recreation park they put a basketball court and net, the same recreation park which is also frequented by local alcoholics. They also refurbished and reopened the Grange Youth Club which is only to be used by Grange children.

What of the young people in Campus Avenue and West View and those who live in Jackmans Place, Glebe Road and Jackmans Estate? What have they done for all those young people?

Do you think that a young adolescent, a product of this society, wants to sit in night after night watching television? Do you not think he would like a place to meet his mates and talk about whatever young adolescents talk about! Where is that place for them in this town? What are the skateboarders going to do when the nights draw in and it is getting cold, and where are the basketball players going to go?

Instead of constantly punishing and restricting them, why don't we give them some real hope and motivation? I am sure that they are sick and tired of being moaned at and being moaned about for something that is surely wrought from boredom, anger and frustration.

PENELOPE GREGORY

Cromwell Green

Letchworth Garden City