No
basketball court at International Village: That was the verdict from the recent
community meeting to discuss the installation of a children’s play area in the Village.
About a
dozen residents – mostly owners – turned out on July 13 to talk about whether and how to address the recreational needs of the community’s growing number of children,
although the day’s rainy weather may have kept many parents away. (See video here.) Several owners
pushed for a playground for small children, but they strongly rejected the creation
a basketball court.
“We’re definitely
not for the basketball court,” said owner Jennifer Moloney, the mother of a
toddler. “That’s just going to bring obscenities and a different dynamic... No one
wants that kind of trouble.”
Most of
those attending the 37-minute meeting appeared to back a plan to convert one of
the condo's underutilized tennis courts into a tot lot with key access and parental
supervision required. Parents said a playground is needed to keep children out
of the street and safely away from cars. Left unresolved was the issue of how
to pay for it, but one suggestion called for interested parents to put
up the funding.
According to
the association’s property manager, converting one of the tennis courts into a children’s
play area would not raise the association’s insurance costs because it wouldn't
require a change to the condo's existing insurance policy, which already covers the courts.
But a
playground could be a long way from becoming reality. International Village President
Marvin Tow, who attended the discussion, said the meeting was only the first stage in a four-step
process that may present some significant hurdles to the proposal. The idea
next heads to the Projects Committee, which will discuss it once its new
chairman, Sidney Schulman, schedules a meeting. The committee’s recommendation
will then be forwarded to the Board of Directors, which still might not have
the final say. Mr. Tow believes creating a tot lot would constitute a “material
change” to the condo’s common elements. Under Florida law, that would require putting the idea to a
vote of the owners, 75 percent of whom would need to approve the change.
What kind of playground equipment would the parents purchase? A swing set, merry-go-round, see-saw, slide plus you need a rubberized flooring to prevent serious injuries. All of this is quite expensive. Oh yes, how about a sandbox? As a teacher of primary grades for many years, I witnessed countless unpreventable accidents on the playground including a death.
ReplyDeleteWe do not have the money to pay for this, plus this brings huge amounts of liabilities as above owner says for accidents, injuries, etc, which we owners do not need at all here, we do not need more law suits, please do not add any children's playgrounds in here! The children's playground JUST ACROSS our complex in the Liberman park is beautiful, new, has rubber floors, and has all the items the kids need, so tell parents to take their kids across the street, and this way we ARE NOT LIABLE for any accidents!Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOf course we do not want basketball courts either, would bring teens and more trouble ion our area, they also have a basketball court just across the street. The less items we have to take care of, the less assessments, and money needed to maintain these items, we are NOT in a position to add ANYTHING to maintain or pay in our complex, please come down to earth and realize this, thanks!