Focus group seeks feedback from the younger generation about what they want to see in Somerset-Pulaski County
In what was the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority’s largest intern-led focus group yet, local high school students and recent graduates echoed what past focus groups have identified as a significant need for young people in this community — an indoor sports facility.
A multi-use indoor sports/recreation complex to support year-round athletic programs and community use has been a popular request since SPEDA began this project five years ago. SPEDA’s summer interns are charged each year with assembling a group of their peers to discuss opportunities and challenges in the community and what would entice them to live in Somerset as adults.
Pulaski County High School (PCHS) senior Foster Fraley sees an indoor sports facility not only as a win for youth, but an economic driver for the community.
“You take one big warehouse, like one of the old houseboat warehouses,” Fraley said. “You put basketball courts in there, and you could put a walking track in there, and you could have high school kids work it that you knew would be responsible enough to work it, and it would turn into a big thing, like KBC in Lexington or like MidAmerica in Louisville. There’s nothing south of that. So if you had something, you could bring tons of revenue in, bring jobs in, it would be something everybody could enjoy.”
Fraley also pointed to the economic boost tournaments can give the tourism industry. Adding this to a community already rich in outdoor activities and attractions, like Lake Cumberland, makes an indoor sports facility an even better option for Somerset-Pulaski County, he said.
This year’s interns — PCHS senior Sam Mink and Somerset High School (SHS) graduate Allie Elise Baird — gathered 14 students and graduates from across the county. In addition to building an indoor sports complex, they discussed ways to enhance quality of life, including expanding the arts, creating more diverse job opportunities, and providing more options for shopping and entertainment. The group also discussed safety concerns and social issues, expressing the need to address traffic congestion on Ky. 39, homelessness, the cost of housing, and the need for better communication about what employment and educational opportunities are available.
While they discussed ways to improve quality of life, members of this group were quick to point out how far the community has come in the last few years. Many complimented the revitalization of downtown Somerset, community events like the Master Musicians Festival, Moonlight, Foodstock and Somernites Cruise, and new venues like The Virginia for offering entertainment options for people of all ages and helping aspiring local artists be recognized on state and national stages.
“I like how our community is growing and opening up more opportunities for the arts,” SHS graduate Emma Foster said. “That gives a way for people to expand their interest and meet others with their common interests as well.”
Enhancing these arts and entertainment opportunities and maintaining Somerset-Pulaski County’s close-knit culture would bring young people back and help the community grow, PCHS senior Ben Hampton said.
“One of the cool factors about staying in Somerset is that we’ve all grown up here. It’s tight-knit,” Hampton said. “If you lived here, you know a lot of people, and just keeping us all together with the lake, we all come together for the car show, MMF, it’s just good stuff. If we can expand that and make those things bigger and more publicized, we can grow.”
Baird, who is attending Franklin College in Indiana and plans to study law, shared with the group that she wonders if there will be a job in Somerset for her when she graduates. Several agreed, saying more diverse employment opportunities could make them more likely to live here long-term.
“The first thing without hesitation that was spoken was more jobs accessible to students, young adults, and working-class individuals,” Baird wrote in her final report, describing her question to the group about the most important thing the community should have. She followed up, however, with the realization that many of the students attending weren’t aware of the opportunities that already exist — programs like Kentucky FAME, for example, that provide apprenticeship-style training with local employers while students earn their degree at Somerset Community College. The students encouraged more communication from the schools and local organizations about what programs and career opportunities are available.
“This should be one of the most important programs that schools use to help students in high school learn that their favorite hobbies or problem-solving skills can turn into something so much more, a career,” Baird wrote.
In his final report, Mink shared that as he worked with Baird to assemble this group, he tried to find friends who represented all walks of life and career aspirations — sports, agriculture, arts, academics, health care and engineering — to provide diverse perspectives.
“I believed we would have the best input if there was a mix of all different types of people there to give their thoughts and suggestions,” Mink wrote. “I believe they provided valuable insight on what the youth want inside of our community.”