Central City News

CRUSHING THE JOY OUT OF THE MIDDLE CLASS — Standing last night for nearly 3 hours while videoing and listening to public testimony before BREC on the plans to create a “Conservancy” to take over control of the green area between City Park and University Lake, all of which currently belongs to the public, I thought to myself, “How tone deaf can those in government be? Can’t they see the people are against this?” But, on the other hand, maybe they just don’t care what people want. They have their own ideas and plan to do whatever they want. I looked at the people sitting out there in opposition to their grand plans. Hard-working, middle-class people who get almost nothing from government. They pay most of the taxes, but what real benefits do they get? One of the few things is they get is to live near a beautiful golf course in a green area that stretches from City Park to the University Lakes. It is a source of pride and joy to them every day. But those cloaked with a little power have for this moment the chance to steal that joy. Not out of necessity, but because they have plans for more concrete and steel and commercial development in this beautiful, almost pristine area. There are only two golf courses left in the city that are open to the general public. These are places where you don’t have to be wealthy or a member of the country club to participate. Even poor kids from the neighborhood can go there and play golf now. The middle class has had a lot taken away from them in this town — good public schools, decent roads, and safe streets. The last thing seems to be this golf course and this green space. Once these things are gone, they can never be replaced. This is a real test, not just for BREC, but for this community.
By Woody Jenkins, editor,
Central City News and St. George Leader