The city has to balance its budget, and closing these two recreation centers appeared to be one way to save some money. After all, city manager Michael Stampfler said, they are hardly used. With an average of only 25 visits per month, the centers hardly justify their utility bills, much less personnel to keep them open.
Personnel to keep them open is part of the problem, according to the 50 or so residents who protested Stampfler’s proposal Monday night. They pointed out that one reason the Bemiston center is used so little is that the doors often are locked. Even when the center is open, potential users are thwarted because much of its equipment is missing.
Addressing the problems at the two centers would take more city money, not less, so closing them still looks like a viable option. That’s where the good ideas come in.
State Rep. Steve Hurst, D-Munford, already had asked the council to put off making a decision until the end of the legislative session so that he could try to find state or federal money to keep the centers open at least temporarily. That bought residents another two weeks.
Councilman Jimmy Davis asked if the audience would be willing to take on another penny in sales tax to keep the centers open. That met with about as much enthusiasm as you might expect.
Councilman Donnie Miller suggested charging for attendance at ballgames at the centers. “People will pay $2 to watch a ballgame,” he said. “You’ll make your money back. If it’s offered, people will do it. … Right now, there’s no reason to go there.”
Pastor Corey Brown of Bemiston Baptist Church offered to take the Bemiston center off the city’s hands. He also suggested offering low-impact aerobics there for nursing home residents.
Former Parks and Recreation director Donald Banks suggested offering day care at the centers.
The idea that seems to have the most potential came from Councilman Miller. He suggested having volunteers keep the centers open while schools are in session and staffing them professionally when schools are closed. This would create a partnership between the city and the residents, benefiting everyone.
With the buildings open all day, most of the other ideas could be implemented. Why not organize softball, basketball or volleyball teams? Why not offer volunteer-led classes in aerobics, yoga, computer skills, photography, crafts, carpentry, woodworking or lapidary? The list is limited only by the knowledge of available volunteers.
However, the fact remains that the city has to balance its budget and as they now stand, the two centers are a drain on city coffers. Without the improvements suggested Monday night, or others yet to be thought of, the centers probably should close.
Good ideas pop up when people who care about a problem look for ways to solve it. It would be a shame to see all these good ideas come to nothing.
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