St. George's needs a bigger and better youth centre to keep teenagers off the streets and out of trouble.

This was one of the suggestions made by students at the St. George's Secondary School when asked their input on the town's new heritage plan.

The meeting, which took place on Wednesday afternoon at the school, was held after a meeting for the young people of St. George's last week was not attended.

Planner Mr. Stanley G. Kennedy, Mr. Henry Ming, and Corporation of St.

George's secretary Mr. Larry Jacobs conducted the meeting and told the students their ideas would be integrated into a proposal.

Many of the students, who are St. George's residents and use the youth centre facility, felt more things were needed in the centre to make it more fun.

One girl said there should be a fun centre for kids to go so they would not have to hang out at night. And another student said St. George's should have more activities for teenagers to do after the centre closes.

"The centre closes at 11.30 p.m. and there is nothing to do after that. There are things in Dockyard to do such as Sparky's and there aren't a lot of people in Dockyard, but there are a lot of people in St. George's with nothing to do,'' a male student said.

When asked by Mr. Kennedy what ideas they had for the St. George's Secondary buildings once the school moved to the Roger B. Chaffee facility many agreed that it should be turned into a place for "sessions and roller-blading''.

Another suggestion for the school was to use it as a performing arts theatre.

But computer teacher Ms Dawn Johnson said the school should be used as an open-admission community college for higher education.

"There should be a two-year community college so kids who do not get into the Bermuda College have a place to go instead of sitting on the walls.'' Guidance counsellor Ms Rana-Lee Paiva added that there was a desperate need for recreation facilities in St. George's.

"The community spirit has to get back in Bermuda,'' she added.