Filip Pajkovski, 22, is running for council to make Queanbeyan a more attractive place for young people and he wants to put sport high on the agenda.
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The university student was born and bred in Queanbeyan and feels compelled to give back to the community that shaped him.
He said his double degree studies at UC in Law and Building and Construction would be an asset in decision making if he were elected.
He said attractions beyond pubs were needed to reinvigorate the district.
Mr Pajkovski floated the idea of a cinema in town as one mechanism to do that and to create a Queanbeyan-Palerang Youth committee to feed fresh ideas into local government.
However, his main vision is to expand regional representative sport.
“The best way to attract youth is through sport and it always is the best way to keep them off the streets and whatnot,” he said.
“In all sporting divisions there should be a Queanbeyan-Palerang regional division,” he said.
The keen soccer player said a regional selective team could be established for several sports from soccer, rugby, swimming, basketball, cricket or more.
“Instead of going to parties and stuff like that they can become athletes and use their time and energy in sport,” he said.
He said Queanbeyan and the Palerang region was known to produce great athletes and it was worthwhile investing to further local talent.
It may deliver wider benefits such as bringing money into the district.
“With sport we can attract a home crowd, no matter what sport, if we create a sense of pride,” he said. “People coming out to watch means money circulating and teams travelling and others coming in will stay and eat in Queanbeyan."
