COVID-19, development drying up OTR hot spots for kids

Due to COVID-19, development and the closure of a local park, kids in the east side of OTR are left without much of anywhere to go this summer.

GOING TO YOUR NEARBY COMMUNITYCENTER MAY BE THE WAY YOU ANDYOUR KIDS HAVE BEEN COOLINGDOWN SO FAR THIS SUMMER.

BUTWHAT IF YOUR KIDS' FAVORITENEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT SPOTSWERE INDEFINITELY OFF-LIMITS?AS REPORTER MONIQUE JOHNREPORTS -- THAT'S WHAT A FEWOVER-THE-RHINE RESIDENTS ARESTRUGGLING WITH THIS SUMMER,AND SOME ARE EXPLORING HOW TOTURN THINGS AROUND.With all the stress brought onby 2020, many have turned togreen spaces and recreationalactivities as ways to take theload off.

However, this year,kids on the east side ofOver-the-Rhine could miss outon some of the summer fun.çSOT: MICHAEL STAFFORD, çSOT:MICHAEL summer fun.

Out onsome of the summer fun.

çSOT:MICHAEL STAFFORD, HEAD COACH,CINCINNATI GOLDEN GLOVESÑ"Ifeel kind of bad for thefourteen, thirteen-year-oldson down."çVOÑThat's becausetwo of their go-to spots foractivities have been closedoff from the public.Since2018, Findlay Playground hasbeen shut down to eliminatecrime from the area and tomake renovations.

But localssay they've seen littleprogress since.

çSOT: MICHAELSTAFFORD, HEAD COACHCINCINNATI GOLDEN GLOVESÑ "Ithought maybe by now that theywould open it up."çVOÑOn topof that, the Over-the-RhineRecreation Center is beingrepurposed as a shelter forhomeless COVID-19 patients.Part of the building that isusually used for things likebirthday parties, indoorskating and sports programs isclosed down for the sick untilfurther notice.

Christina LaRosa runs a boxing program inthe same property as the reccenter.çSOT: CHRISTINA LAROSA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,CINCINNATI GOLDEN GLOVESÑ "Iwish that they had not closedthe Rec Center for thispurpose...The children in thisneighborhood already don'thave a park, and haven't had apark for going on two years.And then the Rec Center isreally the only nearbyRecreation Center...Now thekids are just on the sidewalkor in this parking lot insteadof being able to go insideçVOÑBut the head of theCincinnati RecreationCommission pushed back.

Hesays city officials' choice touse the Over-the-RhineRecreation Center as a shelterfor homeless COVID patientswas a justified, strategicdecision.

çSOT: DANIEL BETTS,DIRECTOR OF CINCINNATIRECREATION COMMISSIONÑ "Thefirst thing we think about iswhat disruption it will causeto regular scheduledprogramming at any of ourcenters.

That's the firstlens.

The second lens welooked at is where are thevast numbers of transient, ofhomeless or folks who are bothhomeless and dealing with somelevel of substance addiction."çVOÑOfficials point out thatpeople in Over-the-Rhine canturn to other rec centers insurrounding neighborhoods.Butlocals point out that thedistance can be a problem foryoung children and residentswithout cars.

One man whorecently moved in thinks thepark could be a great asset tothe neighborhood but:çSOT:ERIC RUTHERFORD,OVER-THE-RHINE RESIDENTÑ"I'drather it be closed for alittle bit so they can figureout how to do it right, versusjust opening it to open it.

Iwouldn't want to see it openback up only for it to becomewhat it once was." çVOÑCityofficials are set to havepublic meetings to resumediscussions over how to reopenFindlay Park next Wednesday.In Over-the-Rhine, I'm Monique