Dear Editor,
More than 75 percent of the population believes that park and recreation services in their local area are worth more than the average amount spent on parks nationwide ($45 per person annually). The city of Newcastle should have a recreation center because it gives kids a chance to exercise and have fun, gives the community a place to hang out in a small town, and gives kids an opportunity to stay out of trouble.
Getting people to exercise can be difficult, however by having a rec center people will want to swim or play games, etc. and have fun while doing it. Many people complain that people are lazy and never getting any exercise. In 2014 Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, in an article titled “The Park and Rec Impact,” stated that “increasing physical activity is a key component to reducing childhood obesity rates.”
Studies have shown that kids who live near public parks and recreational facilities are more likely to be active. This is important for low-income communities that do not have private gyms. Newcastle only has the school gyms where people can go. The gyms are busy all season long, and only have a few open days after sports. Having a rec center will encourage kids to be active, and people will not complain that kids need to stop being lazy.
As you hear all the time, there is nothing to do in the small town of Newcastle, but having a rec center adds to the very few activities available for children and adults. A rec center provides a safe environment for anything. Kids can hangout, do homework, exercise or play games.
A recreation center may not save the community money at first, but most definitely in the long run because kids will be going to the rec center and that will keep them from trouble. This will help the community not have to pay for kids to get in anymore trouble.
Somethings that kids ask for are an indoor skate park, indoor soccer, etc. This facility would be used for many things. Having an indoor skate park could reduce the amount of people falling on ice while skateboarding in the winter time. Having an indoor soccer field would make more time for people to practice instead of doing it in the gyms at the school when all of the other sports are going.
An exciting range of free activities are provided with a recreation center, and Newcastle, Wyoming should have one.
—Sara Sweet