The Second Time Around

Once again there is talk of cooperation and communication among area recreation departments and related entities.

It’s a good idea, especially with a community recreation center under construction in Marinette.

The last time the idea was proposed, in 2009, a discussion filled the council chambers in Marinette’s city hall. An area recreation oversight entity was proposed. And then nothing happened.

Maybe the time wasn’t right. Menominee was between city managers and Marinette had Bob Harbick in the mayor’s seat. Local school districts were under temporary leadership.

Fortunately, that’s no longer the case.

One of the goals of the current proposal is to avoid duplication of recreation programs. To do this requires understanding the mission, vision and values of every local organization involved in recreational programming. Councilwoman Dorothy Kowalski has already alluded to this challenge.

But it also requires participants to take a good look at the economic needs of area families, especially those with children. Cutting a duplicate program won’t always be a wise move if it robs one group of access: An eight-year old on the north side of Menominee, for example, won’t necessarily benefit from a program only offered on the south side of Marinette.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this nascent effort shakes out.