[Peace-discuss] not a peace issue but a local one / need advice on a letter to the Champaign Park District

[John W.]

A few years ago an African-American friend of mine coached a Little League
team comprised of African-American kids from north of University.  I went to
watch one of their games, which took place in a park north of University -
seems like it was somewhere around Booker T. Washington School.   There were
two games going on that evening, and all four of the teams were comprised
exclusively of minority kids.  I was surprised.  I wasn't able to get the
whole story, but it seemed like maybe, for reasons of accessibility that you
cite in your letter, the black kids didn't play the white kids who lived in
a different area of Champaign.  Possibly there's a championship game or
series at the end of the season where the white champions play the black
champions?  I don't know how the league is set up, but it might be worth
calling the Park District and finding out before mailing off your letter.

John Wason



On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 11:31 AM, Karen Medina <kmedina67 at gmail.com> wrote:



> I am writing a letter to the Champaign Park District and would
> appreciate some advice. I am too angry to be objective.
>
>                                                                        2006
> Winchester Dr.
>
>  Champaign, IL  61821
>
>  August 25, 2010
>
>
> Champaign Park District
> 706 Kenwood Rd.
> Champaign, IL 61821
>
>
> Dear Champaign Park District,
>
> The park district gets tax money because it works for the common good
> of the community, not for the rich to the exclusion of the poor. In
> fact, it would be better for the community if the park district did
> more for the poor than for the rich -- those kids are already at a
> disadvantage and more likely to end up in trouble, more likely to have
> low literacy rates, and more likely to not be involved in sports or
> other after-school activities.
>
> My criticism of the Champaign Park District concerns the team
> practices in Cherry Hills subdivision. Cherry Hills has no bus
> service. Cherry Hills is very hard to access if you live on the North
> side of Champaign. The practices are at 5:30 -- a time that is very
> hard for full-time employed parents to make without taking off work
> (which is hard for middle class as well as lower economic levels to
> do). Biking to Cherry Hills is also extremely difficult especially if
> you have children with you -- Windsor at 5pm is horrible with car
> traffic and Windsor is just ONE of the busy streets. If you have more
> than one child with you, biking to Cherry Hills is far away from any
> other park that would allow the kids to use a bathroom or a place to
> stop and rest.
>
> MILLAGE PARK should not be used by the park district as a team
> practice space, unless you specifically want the teams to be made up
> of only rich kids. If this is the case, the park district is not
> helping the community and tax payers should not support the park
> district.
>
> I look forward to your reply. If I don't get a reply, the News-Gazette
> would happily publish it as a letter to the editor.
>
> Sincerely,
> Karen E. Medina
> citizen of a Champaign since 1969
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