Butch Duhe Playground in Kenner will now become known as a sports academy after the Kenner City Council approved the status change during its meeting Thursday(March 3). The new designation means the former playground can become a training facility for more skilled athletes and elite travel sports team.
“When people pass a playground and see the lights off, that’s not good for the community,” said council president Dominick Impastato, III who sponsored the ordinance change.”People want to see activity. I believe this is an opportunity to do that for this community and provide a benefit for the citizens of Kenner as a whole.”
The changeover from traditional recreational programs to a more skilled sports training will start in the coming weeks with the start of baseball season, recreation director Ken Marroccoli said.
The idea behind the status change is to increase participation in sports programs at the facility, which city officials say has steadily decreased in recent years. Last year, 43 people registered to play sports at Duhe. In 2003, there were 363 participants, Marroccoli has said.
Butch Duhe playground may become a ‘sports academy’
The multipurpose facility includes a gym and fields that are used for football, soccer, softball and baseball. The name of the facility won’t change, except to reflect the sports academy designation.
Marroccoli has said he hopes to capitalize on the popularity of travel leagues by offering teams a spot to practice and train in Kenner.
“I think this is great for the community in the long run,” said Impastato.
However, parent Marty Staggs, whose 8-year-old son plays sports at the park, told the council closing the playground as a recreational facility may drive even more children to choose travel leagues.
“I think you’re taking away a big aspect of good community life,” and community pride Staggs said.
The changed status, from neighborhood playground to sports academy, allows the city to rent out the facility to private organizations for specialized training sessions or practices, and allows for the creation of fee-based travel sports team managed by the city.
Recreation program participants who have registered to play at Duhe will be allowed to play at other city playgrounds, Marroccoli and councilmembers said
“Butch Duhe children will not be forgotten,” councilwoman Maria DeFrancesch said.
Acting Mayor Mike Sigur, whose District 2 includes the Duhe facility, said his children participated in sports program at the playground during its “glory days” when “hundreds” of families crowded the ball fields and gym. Now, the lack of participants makes it difficult to even create one team, city officials said.
Although he’s reluctant to see the facility lose its designation as a neighborhood playground, Sigur said the change would keep the playground viable.
“This will allow the facility to still be used as a sports arena,” he said. “It can always go back to where it was if the demographics change.”
The drastic drop in participation at Duhe is a result of changing demographics and habits, officials said. The airport buyout of properties over the past 20 years resulted in the loss of more than 400 families, Marroccoli said.
In addition, officials say many young athletes are favoring more skilled teams than the typically developmental level offered at city recreation parks.
