Friday, November 20, 2009

Thinking Beyond the Box... When is a Mudpuddle Not a Mudpuddle... Put Your Rake To Use... A Question of Money, Values and Child Safety

[YMCA Park Flooding (Every Heavy Rain) - A Chronic Problem for People in the Neighborhood - A Potential Health Issue (What is in that Water?) for Children?; Photo by NS]

[YMCA Park - which apparently hasn't been cleaned since October 31, 2009; Photo by NS]

The YMCA Park has been a "bone of contention" for people in the neighborhood all Summer long. It is neglected in terms up upkeep. It is neglected in terms of supervision. It is neglected (These statements reflect my opinion, my husband's opinion, my adult children's opinions and the opinions of at least some of my neighbors) - period. And it would seem to me - through all of the grants, donations and fees collected [Does the YMCA pay for garbage P/U and other services? Are they part not-for-profit and part for profit?] they ought to be able to maintain their property...

Beyond which - when one considers the post [budget issues] below - and the links in the sidebar [Check out the difference between the YMCA "Mission Statement" and the YWCA "Mission Statement" - isn't there a little issue of "Separation of Church and State" [and/or Discrimination?] in the mix here?

What do you think?

BTW, both the YMCA and the YWCA have childcare programs - funded by parents, UCDSS, the Childcare Council and/or other means - but, to my knowlege (having been employed at the YWCA...) the remainder of services provided for YWCA clients [Teen Parent Case Management; Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Services, English as a Second Language; Literacy; General Advocacy; Family Court Childcare Center; etc.) are (The YWCA's other programs are primarily funded by grants...) --- provided for free. [My only complaint in regard to YWCA services is that they do not specifically - in house - to any degree (to my knowlege; this could have changed] - address [via specific programs) childhood trauma, domestic violence, post-traumatic-stress disorder and/or some other issues that would also be at the top of my list...]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The flooding of the street is a city drainage problem and has not been fixed for 60 or 70 years. How's that for responsive government?

The YMCA park is a relatively new issue [10 yrs or so] and many of us, including neighbors and grandkids, have made attempts to pick up trash on walks and during play times. It has become more dump than playground and this needs to be corrected.

The park is and could be a real asset to the community and children. We all need to do our part to keep it clean but the Y really needs to maintain it. Tnx...smitty

NS said...

I know that people in the neighborhood have complained about the flooding issue and the condition of the YMCA park - which you and I could elaborate on - for sure - if you recall finding the cut off deer legs [Talk about gross and unhealthy!] on top of one of the picnic tables [most or all of which have since been removed] a couple of years back... [Was that on an Easter morning?]

I have seen the YMCA utilize this park - but not (Am I missing something?) too often. So how about the YMCA park being one of the not-for-profit (if this applies) properties that goes back [I think the park provides more of a service for those that want to cut through it and/or hang out in it (including after dark...)] on the tax roles?

Potential? Absolutely! This property could be used to build a beautiful garden (should the City itself buy it) that one could charge an entry fee (collect revenue, versus losing money...) on...

NS said...

Oh yeah, I guess they would still have to do something about the flooding issue [This would certainly give them incentetive] - eh?