SPORTS AREA & HOOPS AT PERRY PARK

OUR LOCAL PARK IS BEING RENOVATED AND THE PLANNING COMMITY HAD MEETINGS FOR THE NEIGHBORS TO SEE WHAT WAS WANTED IN THE PARK. I ATTENDED THE FIRST MEETING WITH MY 11 YEAR OLD SON AND WE VOICED THAT WE WANTED THE BALL AREA TO STAY FOR BASKETBALL AND OTHER BALL PLAY AND THAT WE WANTED FUN PLAY FOR SMALLER CHILDREN SUCH AS WATER PLAY LIKE SPRINKLERS, AND SLIDES AND SWINGS.

WE COULD NOT ATTEND OTHER MEETINGS FOR VERY GOOD REASONS, BUT ALWAYS SPOKE TO NEIGHBORS AND CALLED THE PLANNING DIRECTOR TO SEE HOW THINGS WERE GOING. UP TO THE FOURTH MEETING ALL WAS GOING WELL FOR US, AND IT ALSO INCLUDED WHAT OTHERS WANTED LIKE A GREEN AREA AND A DOG PARK.

THEN AFTER THE FOURTH MEETING EVERYTHING CHANGED. NO BASKETBALL, NO SPORTS, ALL GREEN, AND IT UPSET ME. I SPOKE TO CITY HALL, THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, A STATE REP THAT LIVES ONE STREET FROM ME, NEIGHBORS, EVERYONE. MY LOCAL ALDERMAN HAS NOT CALLED ME AFTER THREE CALLS TO HER.

SO MY THOUGHT WAS A PETITION. AFTER TALKING TO THE STATE REP, SHE CONFIRMED MY THOUGHTS WERE RIGHT AND SAID PETITION. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WAS THAT THEY WANT TO GET THE ELEMENT OUT OF THE PARK THAT PLAY BASKETBALL. SEND YOUR KIDS TO ANOTHER PARK. AWFUL THINGS. AND IT'S NOT LIKE I DON'T WANT A LARGE PART TO BE GREEN, OR TO NOT HAVE A DOG PARK, FOR I DON'T PLAY BASKETBALL AND THE GREEN AREA WOULD BE FOR ME. I DO RUN DAYCARE AND NEED CHILDREN THINGS LIKE SLIDES, SWINGS AND SPRINKLERS, AND A DOG PARK WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE DOG WE WILL BE GETTING SOON.

I JUST WANT TO SEE EVERYONE GET WHAT THEY NEED, AND THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY BASKETBALL REALLY ENJOY IT DOWN IN THIS PARK.