It’s Still OK to Vote NO on the Rec Center

As part of this community debate on the rec center, it appears that there is nostalgia for the previous set up at the Brown School.  And why not? The program had Over 15k square feet, including multiple classrooms, a gym-play space, neighborhood walkability, and parking (it was an active school).

That ship sailed. The city has pivoted. No matter how much some want it, this  new proposal is not going to be the Brown School 2.0. The new proposal is 11k square feet, with limited walkability and parking. NYRS never has had a permanent home. First starting out in a church basement, then to Kelly School, then to Brown, then to City Hall (it’s current home). The program is successful not because of a location, but rather because it promotes our kids in visible locations. We’re not hiding our kids away, we celebrate them as part of our community in an inclusive nature.   

Programs are run at our parks and field spaces, at our local businesses, in our school rooms/gyms when available, in our public library, in our Senior Center, and in City Hall auditorium. Our community is not the same as it was 20 years ago. We have 10% fewer school age children, we have fewer working class families, we have more on fixed incomes — all while our city gentrifies.

The upcoming vote is simply about a building and the associated cost in the context of ongoing financial pressures. Nothing more. If you vote yes, then you think this is the better choice. If you vote no, you think we can do better (like me). Regardless of how you vote, the whole community supports the work being done for our children.

Let’s leave it at that….so we can still say hello at Market Basket.

Jim McCauley
Newburyport City Councilor, Ward 5

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