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Resident urges more youth programs; council members note partnerships and planned Dusan Park basketball court
Summary
A Richmond Heights resident told the City Council on July 9 that the city lacks youth programming and indoor recreation; council representatives noted partnerships with neighboring cities, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, and a planned outdoor basketball court at Dusan Park to be completed by the end of the summer.
Deandra Brown Robinson, a Richmond Heights resident, told the Richmond Heights City Council on July 9 that she cannot find local programs or places for youth and expressed concern about the cost of sending children outside the city for activities.
"What do you guys have for our youth to do here in the community? Because I can't find anything to do," Robinson said, identifying herself for the record as living at 350 Claymore and saying she has been a resident for several years.
Robinson said the city lacks a pool and local, city-run programs and described partnering with neighboring communities so youth can compete or use facilities. She also urged elected officials to consider programs that would allow residents to keep activity dollars in Richmond Heights.
A city representative said the city has partnered with South Euclid for soccer and with Bexley for pool access for residents. Another speaker noted the city has partnered with Youth Opportunities Unlimited for a summer work program targeting teenagers. A council representative said, "At the end of the summer, we will have a basketball court at Dusan Park," indicating an outdoor court is scheduled for completion by late summer.
Council members invited Robinson and other residents to a meeting on June 26 (as stated in the transcript) when directors and the mayor would be present to discuss youth programming and related department responsibilities. The transcript does not include staff presentations with program budgets, participation counts, or a timeline for an indoor pool; those items were described as future possibilities and contingent on funding.
Robinson, who said she is a deputy sheriff with more than 25 years' service, said she supports economic development steps that bring revenue to the city and highlighted that nearby communities that permit marijuana retail have more tax revenue-generating businesses, though she did not ask the council to take policy action on that point during her comment.
