12 reasons why being a teenager in Powell River is just… different
There are age-old debates as to the quality and outcome of adolescent and teenage life in big cities versus small towns, and this writer is also no parenting expert.
What I do have experience with is raising teenagers, specifically, here in Powell River. I like to think the experience of being teenagers in Powell River is a positive one, and in consulting with my own kids I received a yes vote as well, of course minus the usual awkward moments. Here are 12 reasons it is awesome to be a teen in our community.
Our “vintage” theatre – Photo by David Stanley on Flickr
1. We have one movie theatre. It really is a vintage theatre and not yet overrun by hipsters. It also shows one movie per week. (There is no getting by that R-rating with your parents.)
2. There is one high school. No rival high school within miles. The building is semi-waterfront. Know this. Understand this is not the norm.
3. You can walk to a hike. You don’t pay for that hike.
4. You will probably date someone you went to preschool with, or at least, swam at the pool with. At some point you were probably on a trampoline together.
5 .You will make a team.
Michael Behan flying high at the new bike park – photo by Mandy Baker
6. You can tell your parents you are going up a lake, a mountain, a trail, or a dirt road and they will probably say “Sure”.
7. If you get dropped off at a party, your parents not only know where those parents are, but they probably know what they look like, where they work, and where they buy their meat.
8. When you receive that high school award it is no surprise. The whole town knew it was coming because it started in grade two.
An empty Mowat Bay – Photo by David Stanley on Flickr
9. The beaches. They are empty. You can play Frisbee. Your stomach won’t get stepped on when lying there.
10. You probably know how to drive a boat, or you are closely related to someone who does.
11. Your parents merely ask a friend or a neighbor, and you will get that part time summer job.
12. You will pass your road test, and in fact, you will probably never, ever, have to merge until you leave town.
We all realize that big cities give kids access to diverse populations and exposure to events and more post secondary opportunities. They can also be less safe, and adolescents can grow up too fast, however, this is not about bashing city life. It is about Powell River’s unique opportunities for our youth.
For those who were or are lucky enough to experience teenage life in Powell River, I am sure the following is true.
No matter where you end up in the world, every time you smile at a stranger, hear or smell an outboard motor, drive or walk a gravel road, or automatically give up your seat on transit, (because in your life, there were other seats), you will remember this is what coming from Powell River has taught you.
Maybe, this is the gift that growing up here gave our teens. Maybe, the word “community” is actually a feeling. Hopefully they will spread this all over the planet.
Oh, and hopefully, they will always remember that their outdoors was literally right out their doors.
Nancy Dietrich
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