SPRING HILL, Tenn. — Spring Hill city leaders are working to address a shortage of athletic facilities for young athletes, while some residents emphasize the need for inclusive recreation spaces for children with disabilities.
It's important to give children opportunities to grow, including through sports and recreation. But in Spring Hill, leaders say there aren't enough ball fields for their young athletes.
Any parent can relate to MaryAnn Lapenta's summer challenges.
"Working and keeping the kids occupied, having fun and not fighting, let's be real," Lapenta said.
Fletcher Park offers a good opportunity to give everyone a break outdoors. But Lapenta, who has a son with disabilities, says something important is missing.
"I do have a son with disabilities," Lapenta said. "They're not all accessible; sometimes there's a swing or ramp, but there are a lot of kids who may not have access."
Spring Hill Mayor Matt Fitterer acknowledges the city's recreation shortcomings.
"Spring Hill is excited for any new athletic field in town. It's not a secret. We have a general lack of athletic facilities for a wide variety of sports," Fitterer said.
The city is exploring a private-public partnership to develop 10 of the 60 acres the city owns off Hurt Road, primarily focused on building soccer fields.
"Ultimately, the city benefits from having a public facility paid for with private dollars," Fitterer said.
Fitterer says he's heard lots of "wants" for the property: soccer fields, ball fields, walking tracks, but says the goal is to create more opportunities for children in the area.
"Are there going to be opportunities within the 10 acres for other things? I think it just depends how the layout works," Fitterer said.
Lapenta says her family would enjoy soccer fields too, but believes when it comes to green space, the city shouldn't forget investing in accessible options.
"It's such a representation of what we value as a society when we have community-based programs or facilities that we're all investing our tax dollars," Lapenta said. "'Cause we're all in this thing having fun together."
City leaders will take up a measure to agree with the developer, King's Hammer, in a couple of weeks.
Have you experienced challenges finding accessible recreation spaces in Spring Hill? I'd love to hear your story. Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com to share your experiences or suggestions for improving inclusive recreation in our community.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
