HomeMy WebLinkAbout032226 email - Fwd_ Parks and RecALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear County Commissioners,
Thank you for your time and your service to our community.
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposals to cut funding for county parks, recreation facilities, and related programming. While budget decisions are always difficult,
these programs are incredibly low-cost when you consider the far-reaching positive effects they have.
As a mother of three children, I have seen first hand the huge benefits of county rec programming in keeping our kids active, outside and away from screens. The cooperative preschool,
rec soccer, rec basketball and rec futsol have been foundational in their growing up. Not to mention the number of rainy Saturdays we've spent playing foosball, air hockey or shooting
hoops in the rec center.
It is often said a community can be judged by how it takes care of it's most vulnerable. Eliminating the only programs in the county budget that directly benefit youth is a hard blow.
Let us instead be a community that puts youth first, and priortizes safe outside spaces for everyone.
For too many years, parks and recreation funding has been handled in an unsustainable, piecemeal fashion. It is time to look ahead and allocate the necessary resources to not only sustain
but grow these programs. Investing in our parks will pay off many fold by attracting families to the area, promoting tourism, and strengthening our local economy while building a healthier,
more connected community.
Cutting youth programming is shortsighted and undermines the well-being of our future generations. I urge you to reconsider these cuts and instead prioritize the vital services that
parks and recreation provide.
Sincerely,
Judy Gayne