Whetstone Youth Needs Questionnaire
Report 2000

RECREATION FACILITIES IN WHETSTONE

When asked if there are sufficient recreation facilities for young people in the village:

For the under 12s
66 or 34% said yes
59 or 31% were not sure
67 or 35% said no

For 12-16 year olds
54 or 28% said yes
41 or 21% were not sure
97 or 51% said no

For 17-21 year olds
33 or 17% said yes
55 or 29% were not sure
104 or 54% said no

Whetstone has the highest percentage of young children in the Blaby District - in a few years time they will all be teenagers!

What facilities would they like over the next few years? (see Wish List)

Leisure or Sports Centre.................... 21%
Swimming Pool................................20%
Restaurant or Coffee Bar.................... 15%
More Skateboard or Roller Skate facilities.. 12%
BMX Track................................... 10%
More Play Equipment on Parks................ 10%
Youth Club ...................................9%
Regular Discos............................... 9%
Football facilities (Goalposts)...............8%
More Shops................................... 8%
Cinema....................................... 6%
Tennis Courts................................ 6%
Nightclub.................................... 6%
Basketball or Netball Court.................. 5%
Public Toilets!.............................. 4%
Somewhere to hang-out........................ 3%
Girl Guides Unit............................. 2%
Girl’s Club.................................. 1%

Most of the requests are for high cost commercial ventures, of which unfortunately we have no control – we are unlikely to have a McDonalds sited in Whetstone! But some of these items are well within the scope of our local authorities.
The Whetstone Parish Council commissioned a report on ‘Recreation & Leisure Facilities in Whetstone’ and the results of both the ‘Youth Needs’ and ‘Village Appraisal’ should help them to assess requirements for the next few years.
Copies of the report are available from the Parish Council.

In the meantime:-

The Parish Council and local fund-raisers have installed a range of play equipment on the parks.

The Blaby and Whetstone Youth Centre is constantly improving its facilities, and recently installed floodlighting for its football pitches.

The Whetstone Youth Council, with help from the National Lottery Charities Board and local authorities have provided a skateboard ramp, goalposts, and have the facilities for a local cinema. We host weekly drama group classes for young people in the council offices run by a professional drama tutor.