While putting up campaign signs recently, I had an interesting conversation with a group of kids riding their bikes.

They asked what I was doing, and when I told them I was running for Township Council, they started asking questions.

Then one of them asked me something I wasn't expecting:

"Could you get us a bike park?"

They explained that it would be something like a skate park, but designed for bikes, with ramps, jumps, and obstacles.

I told them that if elected, I'd bring the idea to the Council. I don't know what it would cost or where we could put one, but I meant it.

It got me thinking.

When I was their age, my bike was my freedom. We built ramps, practiced wheelies, rode around town, and hung out with friends. Some of my best childhood memories came from those days.

Today, we complain that kids spend too much time on their phones and playing video games. But what exactly are we providing for kids who want to get outside?

I'm especially thinking about the 10- to 15-year-olds. They're too old for playgrounds, too young to drive, and not every kid wants to participate in organized sports.

Other towns have skate parks, BMX tracks, pump tracks, and places where young teens can safely meet and have fun. I'd like to research what communities similar to Berkeley Heights are doing, what these facilities cost, and whether something like that makes sense here.

During this rush to build more housing in Berkeley Heights, how much thought are we giving to what our younger residents actually need?

A town should be more than houses, apartments, roads, and parking lots.

And while boredom is never an excuse for bad behavior, maybe giving kids more constructive things to do would make a difference.

I'd really like to hear from parents, teenagers, and residents: What is Berkeley Heights missing for kids between 10 and 15?

Would you support a bike park, skate park, or something else entirely?

Maybe it's time we started asking the kids themselves.