Barbara Vick Playlot of Graver Park
Recreation Center
If you take a look around the Ashburn neighborhood, you might not see many activities to keep anyone busy. Though there are a lot of schools, there are very few community centers for kids and young adults to join. This is probably a cause to all the violence. I believe that people who result to crime and violence had rough childhoods, jobless, or bored.
All of these problems could be improved with the building of a recreation center. Places like Graver Park in Beverly are wonderful examples of a successful recreation center. The park offers sports (soccer, swimming, track, etc.), jobs, yoga, and even learning activities for the younger members. I would want a place like this in my neighborhood because not only does it provide jobs which can get a lot kids off the streets, it also provides educational and extra-curricular activities for kids to participate in.
The hard part about this solution is placement. Recently, a lot of places are being closed down. For example, school officials are thinking of closing down several elementary schools. Though some people dislike the fact, i think the recreation center should take the place of one of the schools should it close down. Ashburn community elementary school near St. Louis Ave. is on the list but is in the heart of where most children roam. Also, though not in the neighborhood but bordering it, the Evergreen plaza is closing down. The area would supply a lot of space for a larger recreation center and it already has a fitness area connected to it which will also appeal to the adult crowd. The third best place would be the big open lot on the corner of 79th and Western. They wanted to put a Cash 4 Gold in place of the lot but the idea caused controversy in the neighborhood. For one, we already have a Cash 4 Gold in the neighborhood. Two, people believe that it would be just another spot for unwanted loitering which is happening around the other Cash 4 Gold. I think the recreation center would be better suited for the neighborhood. It could prevent the building of another unwanted Cash 4 Gold, and maybe attract the people who loiter and kids of that specific area. My idea of achieving this goal is to have a fundraiser held at surrounding schools since there are a lot of them. If schools pitch in, the recreation center could be created in a matter of months-to a year.
Though the problem seems common in all neighborhoods, a solution should still be aimed for. Without a solution, kids and young adults will continue to turn to the streets and gang members as their "friends". The influence will continue to worsen and spread to nearby neighborhoods with less of a crime/violence problem. I've also noticed that alot of people are moving out of the neighborhood especially around my block where crime and violence lately has been booming, and I think the fleeting of neighbors could be an effect. Ashburn could turn out like Englewood which has suffered from violence, poverty, numerous foreclosures, etc. Like Ashburn, Englewood was once a populaer and more peaceful place to live when it was founded. But after years of change and hardships, things didn't take a turn for the best in the neighborhood. I fear that Ashburn could be next should the crime and violence continue.
All of these problems could be improved with the building of a recreation center. Places like Graver Park in Beverly are wonderful examples of a successful recreation center. The park offers sports (soccer, swimming, track, etc.), jobs, yoga, and even learning activities for the younger members. I would want a place like this in my neighborhood because not only does it provide jobs which can get a lot kids off the streets, it also provides educational and extra-curricular activities for kids to participate in.
The hard part about this solution is placement. Recently, a lot of places are being closed down. For example, school officials are thinking of closing down several elementary schools. Though some people dislike the fact, i think the recreation center should take the place of one of the schools should it close down. Ashburn community elementary school near St. Louis Ave. is on the list but is in the heart of where most children roam. Also, though not in the neighborhood but bordering it, the Evergreen plaza is closing down. The area would supply a lot of space for a larger recreation center and it already has a fitness area connected to it which will also appeal to the adult crowd. The third best place would be the big open lot on the corner of 79th and Western. They wanted to put a Cash 4 Gold in place of the lot but the idea caused controversy in the neighborhood. For one, we already have a Cash 4 Gold in the neighborhood. Two, people believe that it would be just another spot for unwanted loitering which is happening around the other Cash 4 Gold. I think the recreation center would be better suited for the neighborhood. It could prevent the building of another unwanted Cash 4 Gold, and maybe attract the people who loiter and kids of that specific area. My idea of achieving this goal is to have a fundraiser held at surrounding schools since there are a lot of them. If schools pitch in, the recreation center could be created in a matter of months-to a year.
Though the problem seems common in all neighborhoods, a solution should still be aimed for. Without a solution, kids and young adults will continue to turn to the streets and gang members as their "friends". The influence will continue to worsen and spread to nearby neighborhoods with less of a crime/violence problem. I've also noticed that alot of people are moving out of the neighborhood especially around my block where crime and violence lately has been booming, and I think the fleeting of neighbors could be an effect. Ashburn could turn out like Englewood which has suffered from violence, poverty, numerous foreclosures, etc. Like Ashburn, Englewood was once a populaer and more peaceful place to live when it was founded. But after years of change and hardships, things didn't take a turn for the best in the neighborhood. I fear that Ashburn could be next should the crime and violence continue.