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Holland youth urge conservation and affordable housing; resident alleges bandshell exclusion of religious groups
Summary
Holland Youth Advisory Council members praised youth programs and urged environmental caution on new development; resident Ann Hendrickson alleged that Christian and Hispanic church groups have been denied use of the Colin Park bandshell and urged council to revise the policy and involve the Human Relations Commission.
HOLLAND, Mich. — Several Holland Youth Advisory Council (HYAC) students used the council’s public comment period on March 19 to highlight youth programs and urge attention to environmental impacts as the city adds housing, and a resident raised concerns about religious groups’ access to the city bandshell.
Andrew Legg, a junior at Holland High and a volunteer coach with the First Tee of West Michigan, described the program as more than golf. "The First Tee is a youth program that uses golf to teach kids important life skills, like perseverance, respect, and responsibility," he said, adding that coaches helped him develop leadership and resilience.
Ben Flutter, a senior and HYAC member, said he intends to study biology and described his role advocating for those whose voices may not be heard.
HYAC member Maggie Telgenhoff urged the council to consider environmental impacts when approving development, reciting a personal account of lost natural areas near her home and citing declining water and wildlife conditions in what she called "Lake Makitao." "I implore everyone living in the city of Holland to deeply consider the environmental impacts of further development, and I urge city members to encourage reconstruction of already standing buildings instead of the breaking of new ground," she said.
Later in public comment, Ann Hendrickson (listed as from New Zealand) said she was concerned that Christian groups, and in particular Hispanic Christian groups, had been denied use of the Colin Park bandshell. She said community requests to revise the bandshell policy have not been acted on and urged the council to involve the Human Relations Commission to address what she called discriminatory application of the policy.
Mayor Nathan Box closed the public comment period after speakers finished. The mayor and council did not take immediate action on the bandshell policy during the meeting; Hendrickson’s comments were entered into the record for council consideration.
