06/11/2026
Good evening Lincoln! Wow summer humidity came pretty quick. Hopefully you are all sitting some place cool, with an icy beverage to keep you hydrated. Yesterday evening I had the pleasure to spend some time with the operators of Convos Youth Zone located on Ontario Street here in Beamsville. Our conversation was both enlightening and encouraging.
We chatted about our town, our youth, and some of the struggles and difficulties that some of them face with heartbreaking regularity. To be honest, as a dad of two teens I have seen and heard some stories over the years about some kids getting lost in a gap of inactivity. As Adam, Jeff, and Ashley pointed out, the COVID years left a deep imprint on an entire cohort and caused a number of issues with peer to peer communication and relationship skills.
They were pleased to see that in my Mayoral announcement I mentioned that one of my focuses is to make “Lincoln a place where our children are safe, our families can thrive, and our seniors feel secure.” They reached out because they know they can help. I would imagine many parents in town don’t know what Convos Youth Zone is, and what their staff do. To be frank, I didn’t either. But I can wholeheartedly say that I was blown away by the space, and by the openness and caring of the staff. As you can see from the photos, it is bright, welcoming, and comfortable. A place where kids can come in and hang out, play some of the games, grab something to eat, and talk if they need to. The staff at Convos have a great deal of experience and insight into the cues and language of kids. They can tell when someone wants to talk, or has a weight on their shoulders, but sometimes don’t know where to turn or how to start. That is why Convos is here, and it is heartwarming to see and hear the positive impact they are having.
I also wanted to give a shoutout to Community Care of West Niagara who continue to donate food to Convos to support our youth. Sadly food insecurity is rising, and there are a number of our local youth and families that need support. The team at Convos is happy to try and fill that need, but would be unable to do it without the kind hearted folks at CCWN and other local donors. So thank you all for caring enough about our community to give. It means more than you know. Have a great rest of the week. ❤️
https://www.convos.ca
