Parent will miss activity, social hub
at First StreetI read the March 31 Sun front page story about the council’s meeting on the proposed activities complex for Mount Vernon Schools. What stuck out to me was the discussion about parking, lighting/glare and traffic. I would add sounds to the list describing the atmosphere on game days. According to Craig Engel, there are “late night games or events … roughly 10 to 15 times per season.” Greg Batenhorst said the activities complex “would make this space a new hub for the city in a lot of ways.”
For those of you whose neighborhood will be impacted by the “hub,” I say, you’re in for a treat. We moved to the northeast side of Mount Vernon in 2014 and have gotten accustomed to the festival feeling that the soccer games, band events and football games have brought to our neighborhood. From our back yard we can hear the band, the cheers, the announcing; we can see the lights, the scoreboard, the traffic; we can smell the concessions; we have had people park in front of our driveway and along our street. Families with children walk the sidewalks by our house before and after the games. Over time we have looked forward to the events that have included us by simply living near the First Street Community Center.
Our kids are (now) adults, but having school events practically in our backyard has reminded us of the days we attended our children’s activities. West-siders, you are in for a treat, now that the details for building an activities complex are being figured out. Things change, even in the short time we’ve lived here. I believe you will love having the activity complex in your neighborhood. I know I will miss our hub — the Friday night game night fun!
Sincerely,
Gretchen Reeh-Robinson
Mount Vernon