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Paducah mayor urges removal of deed restriction to let Boys & Girls Club expand
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Summary
H.R. 1276 would remove a deed restriction held by the National Park Service on a parcel used by the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club in Paducah, Ky.; the mayor and local supporters said removal would unlock state and private funds for expansion.
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands heard testimony May 1 on H.R. 1276, which would remove an outdated National Park Service deed restriction that witnesses said now prevents the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club in Paducah, Kentucky from renovating and expanding its facility.
George Bray, mayor of Paducah, told the subcommittee the club serves hundreds of children and that the current facility has reached capacity. "The Oscar cross cross club itself serves hundreds of children each year through after school and summer programs," Bray said. He said the club had 258 members in 2024 but could serve only about 120 children at a time, creating a wait list.
Bray and Representative Comer, the bill’s sponsor, said the restriction dates to the federal Lands to Parks program and that transferring the interest to the club would allow a private fundraising campaign and a $1 million state grant to be used for renovations. Bray said local donors and a state grant are ready but the deed restriction blocks the planned improvements.
Committee members asked whether the bill would remove federal oversight and whether similar transfers had precedent. Bray and the sponsor said the transfer is a narrow remedy for a long‑standing local need and would enable the club to build a larger facility, add a gym and expand capacity to serve more youth.
The hearing produced no committee vote. Witnesses entered letters of local support into the record and said they would continue fundraising once the restriction is resolved.
