Birmingham City Council Seeks Halt To Closing Of Recreation Centers
Members of the Birmingham City Council called on the city’s Park and Recreation Board Tuesday to halt plans to close 12 recreation centers until a “more equitable” plan can be created.
The centers in question — Brownsville Heights, Harriman, Harrison, Henry Crumpton, Hooper City, Howze-Sanford, Inglenook, North Birmingham, Roosevelt City, Sandusky/Hudson, Wiggins and Willow Wood — would have to close as a result of employee furloughs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Park and Recreation Director Shonae’ Eddins-Bennett told the council on Sept. 10.
“To have someone housed there daily, we don’t have the staff,” she said.
The proposal was not well-received by members of the council, many of whom felt the closures were unevenly distributed throughout the city’s districts — adding specifically that much of the city’s north, west, east and southwest areas would be left without recreation centers.
“Many of these seem to be clustered in one area,” Council President William Parker said last week, growing more and more distraught. “I believe in equity, and this ain’t equity… This is horrible!”
The proposed closures still have to be approved by the park board. During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Parker called on the board to withdraw the item “in good faith” and to come up with a new plan that will keep those centers open, even if only on a rolling schedule.
“Rec centers are the bedrock of our communities,” he said.
Council President Wardine Alexander said she was “deeply saddened” that four of the five recreation centers in her district were on the chopping block. District 9 Councilor John Hilliard added that he was “quite alarmed” by the proposal and called for the park board “to be creative in spreading current employees that are (not furloughed) out.”
The next Park and Recreation Board meeting is slated for Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 9 a.m.
Photo by Acid Pix
Ivey appoints Will Parker to Alabama Supreme Court
Parker fills the court seat vacated by Bill Lewis who was tapped by President Donald Trump for a federal judgeship. The U.S. Senate last month confirmed Lewis as a U.S. district judge.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
