The city is not closing any recreation centers, but some East Chattanooga residents wonder if it’s opening the surrounding community to the same opportunities at each.
“Are we here in inner city areas getting all these opportunities? No,” Mary Morris said at a recent meeting hosted by Hamilton County Commissioner Warren Mackey. “If a child lives in Orchard Knob you shouldn’t have to take them to Southside to play on a [sports] team.”
Others complained about what they see as a lack of resources, equipment and funding for the inner-city community’s several recreation centers, which are touted as one of the main ways to keep children off the streets.
“When they go outside crime goes up 10 percent because cars are getting broken into,” said Tony Boston, who credits such centers for keeping him from a life of crime and prison.
When not working as a bail bondsman, he volunteers at the Avondale Recreation Center. He said it’s not a lack of programs, but not having enough space that is the real problem.
“We have all the assets, that’s not the problem,” he said. “We’ve got computers here; we’ve got ping pong. The center is just too small. We’ve got people willing to step up and help donate. We just need you to partner with us.”
City of Chattanooga Director of Recreation Greta Hayes said the city is willing to look at expanding facilities based on community feedback.
“If we have the resources, we will,” she said, although noting the department is in no position to do that at this time. “We’re going to take this to heart and see if we can make some of these improvements.”
City Parks and Recreation public relations coordinator Brian Smith urged the community to take advantage of the programs already offered.
“You’d be surprised how many different activities we have going on at all the different rec centers for all ages,” he said. “I wish more people would come to these centers.”
In 2010, a total 590,721 people took advantage of the city’s 16 recreation centers, which featured 42 youth, 37 teen and 30 adult programs and 27 community events and projects. The Avondale center alone had 81,745 in attendance at its various offerings last year.
No matter how many enriching programs it offers or how big and technologically advanced the center becomes, some local residents reminded others at the meeting that it cannot take the place of positive parental involvement.
“This is not a day care center,” said resident Thomas Westfield. “Parents have got to realize this is your children, not the center’s children, not the city’s children.”
The East Chattanooga area alone has nine neighborhood associations, according to area resident and pastor James Moreland.
“Most of us don’t show up and take part in what the neighborhood associations are doing,” he said. “We always say somebody ought to do something, but who is that somebody? The only way to have a safe home is to participate in that. The only way you’re going to have a safe neighborhood is to take part in the associations. We need to be on guard every single day working through churches and associations.”