This Is Do-able
Left to right: Nadhal Eadeh from LOBC listens and Ed Favre from the School Board, Matthew Markling School Board President, Stephanie Toole, LOBC throw out some innovated ideas to Councilman Tom Bullock at a recent public meeting put together by LOBC and Mayor Summers.
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I attended the LOBC meeting at Kaufmann Park on April 13. It was a good event with many interested, concerned, and frustrated folks, all with genuine points of view and perspectives.
Proponents speak of a time when basketball courts were available around town for healthy youthful recreation and hope to return to that atmosphere. Opponents recall the courts being dominated by obnoxious adults who turned the hoops into a nuisance and a source of vandalism. Somewhere along the line, the word of choice in much of our culture became the “f-bomb” and it plays out in this discussion. Historically, all of these are correct.
Having observed this discussion for some time, several points are significant. For outdoor hoops to be successful, these need to be addressed and resolved.
First is noise. We live in a close-knit community. Any noise will carry to other folk’s properties. So the farther away from residential lines we put the hoops the better. Whatever city park is selected, the location within that park is of great importance; the logical place is nearer to a busy street or other noise sources and as far away from residences as possible. The current situation at Kaufmann is close to, and in direct sightline of houses. It is on a larger than needed hard paved surface for tennis courts that does not absorb noise and echoes.
Second, there are legitimate concerns over conduct. Foul language does occur and cannot be tolerated. Placing hoops nearer to existing noise sources, as previously mentioned would help mitigate this issue. However language and other misconduct will need to be successfully addressed.
Most of the users of the hoops get it, however there are some who do not. Those individuals will not take care of the property and are destructive in how they use it or may even intentionally vandalize it. This is where the users must employ positive peer pressure and not tolerate those that diminish the group. Success hinges on permanently holding all users to an acceptable level of conduct which requires self-policing.
For all conduct issues, the placement of the hoops is again critical. Troublemakers generally cause less trouble in “fish bowls.” So the hoops should be located at a spot where all can see what is going on. Locations should be open, visible, and have nothing around them to promote loitering or bad behavior.
The hoops at Kaufmann are out of the way for most people. The entire time of the meeting, no police car (other than the officer assigned to be there) drove by. Yet police and any number of city vehicles go by the nearby corner of Detroit Avenue hundreds of times a day. The dark corners of Kaufmann Park have been problematic for the nearly forty years I can speak of. Placing the hoops in a highly visible area will help deter, enable reporting, and thereby help control negative behavior.
Third is cost. One not need look far at Kaufmann Park to see where the big dollars were spent in the past to enter a new venture; building a failed miniature golf course, and then more dollars recently to remove it. And even bigger dollars were spent for the skatepark, another new venture. Proponents point out that the cost of hoops, a conventional activity, would pale in comparison. However, local government is being financially squeezed like never before. That is not a cliché, it is fact. None of us has ever seen local government in the financial pinch it is now. We can nitpick about the causes, but that is the fix we are in. So whatever we do, wherever we place the hoops, it needs to be done at as low a cost as possible. And some things we cannot do “on the cheap.” These hoops will get heavy use, so vandalism notwithstanding, it would be more cost effective to build them with solid, not flimsy materials.
It seems like a lot, but I think it is common sense. Financial constraints prevent this from happening at the speed some would like, however, planned and implemented over time, I believe it is doable.
On related note, I recall several years back that Lakewood Recreation offered open gym at Harding for a nominal fee. It ended when we tore down the old and built the new building. Perhaps it is time for the School Board to revisit opening gym(s) at a nominal fee only to cover costs.
Finally, I’d want to thank the Observer for the article on my retirement from the police department. The feedback was very much appreciated.