Back to SearchWould you expect to find a visionary leader at a centre for higher learning or a spiritual retreat? What about at a colourfully graffiti-tagged skate park? Is age important when deciding who is a visionary leader?
Recently Parks & Facilities Superintendent, Shaun Lesowski met a young man that strikes us as a visionary leader. Ajay Weintz is a George Elliot Secondary School student. On February 26th when one of the Parks crew was pruning trees at Swalwell Park, Ajay approached him and asked to borrow a broom and dustpan. Thereafter he spent several hours cleaning the skate park and surrounding area. He also asked to have a meeting with the Parks Superintendent.
The meeting scheduled for March 3rd at noon started out between just Ajay and the Parks Superintendent, but within a few moments over two dozen young people were involved in the conversation, asking about the future of the skate park. "They brought forward ideas and gave a brief overview of how skating has evolved since the skate park was first built," said Shaun Lesowski. "By updating the park it will reduce the amount of boarding in the water park and on the pavilion something that we have been trying to eliminate. We also talked about the kids self-policing the area to reduce vandalism etc." On March 9th Ajay was back at the skate park picking up garbage from the area once again. "He is trying to put together a work day/spring clean-up on March 28th or as soon as the weather will allow," noted Lesowski. "And besides general clean-up the kids plan to paint over some of the inappropriate graffiti in the bowl area."
Ajay wants to look into ways they could fund raise to help with renovations to update the skate park.
Now that to me sounds like a visionary leader!
"It is great to see the youth of the community getting involved in something they believe in!" emphasized Lesowski.
"This recent experience with Ajay clearly demonstrates the importance of amenities for our youth and unmet needs," said Greg Buchholz, Director of Infrastructure Services. "Shaun and I believe this is a demographic that is under-served in our community and the issue they have raised is deserving of attention as part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. I think updating the skate park with the involvement of the youth that use it is a project that could be an excellent early opportunity that would be a win' for everyone involved." On March 9th Ajay was back at the skate park picking up garbage from the area once again. "He is trying to put together a work day/spring clean-up on March 28th or as soon as the weather will allow," noted Lesowski. "And besides general clean-up the kids plan to paint over some of the inappropriate graffiti in the bowl area."
Ajay wants to look into ways they could fund raise to help with renovations to update the skate park.
Now that to me sounds like a visionary leader!
"It is great to see the youth of the community getting involved in something they believe in!" emphasized Lesowski.
"This recent experience with Ajay clearly demonstrates the importance of amenities for our youth and unmet needs," said Greg Buchholz, Director of Infrastructure Services. "Shaun and I believe this is a demographic that is under-served in our community and the issue they have raised is deserving of attention as part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. I think updating the skate park with the involvement of the youth that use it is a project that could be an excellent early opportunity that would be a win' for everyone involved."
Recently Parks & Facilities Superintendent, Shaun Lesowski met a young man that strikes us as a visionary leader. Ajay Weintz is a George Elliot Secondary School student. On February 26th when one of the Parks crew was pruning trees at Swalwell Park, Ajay approached him and asked to borrow a broom and dustpan. Thereafter he spent several hours cleaning the skate park and surrounding area. He also asked to have a meeting with the Parks Superintendent.
The meeting scheduled for March 3rd at noon started out between just Ajay and the Parks Superintendent, but within a few moments over two dozen young people were involved in the conversation, asking about the future of the skate park. "They brought forward ideas and gave a brief overview of how skating has evolved since the skate park was first built," said Shaun Lesowski. "By updating the park it will reduce the amount of boarding in the water park and on the pavilion something that we have been trying to eliminate. We also talked about the kids self-policing the area to reduce vandalism etc." On March 9th Ajay was back at the skate park picking up garbage from the area once again. "He is trying to put together a work day/spring clean-up on March 28th or as soon as the weather will allow," noted Lesowski. "And besides general clean-up the kids plan to paint over some of the inappropriate graffiti in the bowl area."
Ajay wants to look into ways they could fund raise to help with renovations to update the skate park.
Now that to me sounds like a visionary leader!
"It is great to see the youth of the community getting involved in something they believe in!" emphasized Lesowski.
"This recent experience with Ajay clearly demonstrates the importance of amenities for our youth and unmet needs," said Greg Buchholz, Director of Infrastructure Services. "Shaun and I believe this is a demographic that is under-served in our community and the issue they have raised is deserving of attention as part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. I think updating the skate park with the involvement of the youth that use it is a project that could be an excellent early opportunity that would be a win' for everyone involved." On March 9th Ajay was back at the skate park picking up garbage from the area once again. "He is trying to put together a work day/spring clean-up on March 28th or as soon as the weather will allow," noted Lesowski. "And besides general clean-up the kids plan to paint over some of the inappropriate graffiti in the bowl area."
Ajay wants to look into ways they could fund raise to help with renovations to update the skate park.
Now that to me sounds like a visionary leader!
"It is great to see the youth of the community getting involved in something they believe in!" emphasized Lesowski.
"This recent experience with Ajay clearly demonstrates the importance of amenities for our youth and unmet needs," said Greg Buchholz, Director of Infrastructure Services. "Shaun and I believe this is a demographic that is under-served in our community and the issue they have raised is deserving of attention as part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. I think updating the skate park with the involvement of the youth that use it is a project that could be an excellent early opportunity that would be a win' for everyone involved."
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