From Gavin Smith.
WITH reference to an article in the JEP on 1 December, ‘We don’t want a gym here’, I was absolutely astounded to read that there are people who do not want a gym for the kids in this Island.

The local and UK governments are always going on about unruly children hanging around on street corners, along with childhood obesity. Surely this is one simple solution to these issues, a gymnastics academy.

Gymnastics teaches children discipline and respect, along with how to lead a healthy lifestyle and enjoy keeping fit.

Are these not some of the things that young children and teenagers are missing out on these days? I personally have worked on properties in Rue de Samarès and can honestly say that I have never noticed intense traffic patterns.

If the unit in question was turned back to agricultural use, then would these few narrow-minded people be happy with tractors and large machinery blocking up their precious lane?

At the end of the day, not much traffic would pass through the lane if it were a gym. The parents would drop their kids off and pick them up and the 210 members (as mentioned in the article) are spread over a whole week. I do not see what problem this would make.

I believe that John Doublet and his other 75 petitioners see this as no more than ‘not in our back Yard’.

Jersey is very keen to take the credit when our sportsmen and women, boys and girls, compete in the UK and further afield, but when somebody like Miss De Mond tries to provide better facilities for our young gymnasts, Jersey does not want to know.

I really hope that the Planning Department take into consideration our children’s future and health when making a decision on this.