Families angered over plan to shut down Cobb parks, sports facilities
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - From little league players to parents and coaches, hundreds of families are crying foul over a worst-case-scenario budget plan to shut down 12 Cobb County parks, sports facilities and other programs, in light of a $30 million dollar budget shortfall for the county and its government.
"What are these young girls going to be able to do-- and young boys that play baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis, all these sports here? " said one concerned parent whose daughter plays in a softball league at Lost Mountain Park, one of the parks set for a full closure, where hundreds of parents bring their kids for practice.
"We've got about 750 [players] in our program. We don't have another place to go right now," said John Klontz of the West Cobb Girls Softball program, which plans to have hundreds of players and their parents come out in full force at upcoming town meetings.
To save $3.3 million, the county has proposed shuttering the following parks and facilities:
- Lost Mountain Park, 4845 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs
- Lost Mountain Tennis Center
- Ward Recreation Center
- Fullers Park, 3499 Robinson Road, Marietta
- Fullers Recreation Center
- Mountain View Aquatic Center 2650 Gordy Parkway
- The Art Place 3330 Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta
- Mountain View Community Center 3400 Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta
- S. Cobb Recreation Center 875 Six Flags Dr, Austell
- S. Cobb Aquatic Center 875 Six Flags Dr, Austell
- Keep Cobb County Beautiful 1792 County Services Parkway
- Keep Cobb County Beautiful Board 1792 County Services Parkway
- June 18, East Cobb Senior Center, 7 p.m.
- June 19, North Cobb Senior Center, 7 p.m.
- June 20, Senior Wellness Center, 7 p.m.
- June 25, Freeman Poole Senior Center, 7 p.m.
- June 27, West Cobb Senior Center, 7 p.m.
- June 29, South Cobb Community Center, 7 p.m.
- July 9, Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center, 7 p.m.
The public hearings will be held July 10 at 9 a.m., July 17 at 6:30 p.m., and 25th at 7 p.m. at the Board of Commissioners meeting room on the second floor of 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta.