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After mounting tensions around community recreation
needs, I introduced a two-step plan to keep softball fields at McIntire Park and expand recreational opportunities for children
and families through closer collaboration with our regional partners. Representatives from a number of area recreational organizations and the YMCA joind me at a press
event to support my proposal.
- Include an amendment to the Master Plan for the western side of McIntire Park to
preserve the softball fields along with the new Piedmont Family YMCA. New site designs recently submitted by the YMCA illustrate
how these uses can co-exist in the Park.
- Join
with Albemarle County, the University of Virginia and area sports leagues to initiate a comprehensive study of the utilization
of recreational field space in our region. The goals of the study are to inventory all existing field spaces in the area,
identify potential field spaces that can be added to this inventory, and develop a plan for allocating and utilizing these
field spaces in a way that best meets the needs of local athletic organizations (including soccer, football, lacrosse, softball,
etc.).
It's time
for us to end the divisiveness which has pitted various recreational users against each other and instead
commit to addressing the recreational needs of all our citizens in a more coordinated, fairer and more transparent manner.
By taking these steps we can move forward with the plan to expand recreational and after-school enrichment opportunities
for youth and families at McIntire Park without displacing the softball teams who have been enjoying the Park
for decades.
Media coverage:
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