Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate 20 teens and their police mentors for a tremendous job of community co-operation. On May 25 these young residents helped plant the seeds of crime prevention by planting flowers and corn in their neighbourhood of Sunnydale Place in my riding of Kitchener—Waterloo. This neighbourhood has been plagued with unemployment, poverty and daily incidents of violence.
The teens have had enough. The city is donating the plants. The youth are providing the labour. Most important, these young people have provided the initiative. Calling themselves the Lighthouse Project, these teens are also involved in a second project, restoring 75 bicycles donated by the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group. The costs of the restoration are being covered by grants from the Twin Cities Optimist Club.
Congratulations to these 20 teens and their police mentors for all their hard work and hope for the future. They are another great example of how people of the Waterloo region work together through their community safety and crime prevention council.