Decision to Privatize Conway

We have heard, and it has been confirmed that the Mayor plans to privatize Conway Rec Center. In his budget there are two rec centers that are scheduled to be handed over to private entities - they are Conway and McDonough... This means that there would be no city staff at the rec center. The fields would still be used for sports, but the plans are for a private soccer group to take over the building - who knows what that means for access to the fields. The group being courted for this takeover is the Tony Sanneh Soccer Foundation. The senior activities would continue... 

We find this privatization absolutely unacceptable. We have already had two rec centers in our area privatized - we have made our sacrifice. We should not be asked to do so again. We have already experienced the problems that come when there is no one supervising the grounds around these centers. With the new splash pad going in at Conway, this means additional people coming to this site and it will need someone monitoring activities. Although we understand that the city is facing yet another budget crisis, it is time for another part of the city to take on some of the sacrifice. How many staffed rec centers does Saint Anthony Park have with its 9000 residents? How many staffed centers does Hamline Midway have with its 11,500 residents? We have over 20,000 residents in District 1 and will be left with one staffed rec center - Battle Creek - which, despite its relatively recent construction, is not capable of meeting the needs of over 20,000 people - it just isn't that big. 

We just held a community event at Conway that drew over 500 people. These are folks that come from the immediate vicinity - many from the apartments, many of whom have limited access to transportation (or funds for private sports clubs...). The City will argue that Battle Creek is close by, and that there are two private fitness centers nearby - Blast and Anytime FItness. 1) Not everyone can afford to belong to these; 2) they are oriented to adults; and 3) Blast seems to be struggling for membership. Closing rec centers is done primarily to decrease the number of employees the city has... most of the City's cost comes through its people on staff. The little bit of rent and utilities that the private entities pay won't even cover maintenance costs... Penny-wise, pound-foolish. Not to mention what is lost by having a community center go away - we have so few community gathering places in District 1 as it is.

We need you to start contacting both the Mayor and Kathy Lantry to say this privatization is unacceptable. You can reach them via email at mayor@ci.stpaul.mn.us and Kathy.Lantry@ci.stpaul.mn.us. Step up, people, and do the right thing by your neighborhood. If you want to write to them, they are both on the third floor of City Hall - 15 W. Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55102

I will also note that in the 6 1/2 years I have been on this job, there have been six different directors at Conway - Dave, Luke, Jody, Bill, Randy and Mike. Mike was moved in as he prepares to retire - I suspect because they had no plans to replace him when he did (He is doing a fabulous job, by the way...). We had two Parks staff people at our August meeting and they did not mention this decision. In June, a decision was made to add a mural to Conway - something we had been pushing for and seeking funding for for several years. Parks did not inform us they were proposing to do this mural through a summer youth activity based out of HAZEL PARK REC CENTER. They only met with us when we were informed by Conway staff that this was happening. Despite assurances that they would keep us informed and a part of the process, we have heard nothing from them since that initial meeting. We have no idea where the mural project stands at this point.

All of this shows a lack of transparency on the part of Parks, an unwillingness to communicate with the community, and what appears to be a cynical, if not deceitful, practice of planning and decision-making on their part. We need this to stop. We need the community to be involved FROM THE BEGINNING when something as drastic as closing community centers is proposed.

Betsy Leach, Executive Director