I thought it was interesting that there was a full-page ad against a community center in Oak Park and River Forest for several reasons, including:
1) It doesn’t look like it is going to happen as the high school doesn’t sound like it is going to help fund it.
2) Of course it would be tax exempt as it is a community center, as are all the other park district houses in our community.
But that allows it to be affordable to those in our community who can’t afford to go to the private clubs. There is not a single place people in our community can go to play a pick-up game of basketball or swim or work out at all without belonging to a private club. That leaves many with no options as the private clubs are expensive.
Then I went into the Tennis and Fitness Center and noticed the same advertising against the community center. Now I have to wonder if this so called Citizens for Responsible Activities and Parks is no more than a group of private club owners who don’t want the competition.
We live in an economically diverse community, which is an asset to our community, and we should have community activities that reflect that diversity.
Susan Klinger
Oak Park
