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MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin I believe the Children Are Our Future: Let’s build on that
There’s a pile of rubble near the intersection of Gordon Highway and Walton Way that can’t help but get your attention. It’s an eyesore that I’ve spoken about previously, and very few people seem to care because of the side of town where it rests.
I drove past it with my usual disdain the other day when something just beyond the rock pile grabbed my attention – a sliver of the slide from May Park, bright red and tubular.
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It gave me an idea – maybe the city should turn that rock pile into a space for children to play.
Augusta has invested enough in the school-to-prison pipeline, with its overzealous investment into policing and the concessions and cuts that the city (and state) continue to make in education. It’s way past time for the city to redirect some funding into a project that will inspire hope and excitement into the future of this city.
I remember when the National Science Center teased CSRA kids such as myself with the arrival of Fort Discovery in the late 1990s. I can’t tell you how many times I walked past the giant sphere in front of the building on the Riverwalk side – the one that moved through a modest pool of water. Fort Discovery was just that, though – a tease, and in a span of just over a decade, the kid-friendly hub was gone.
I’m not asking for the city to revive an ambitious project of Fort Discovery’s magnitude. I’m asking for the city to give this side of town a recreational revitalization that hasn’t been seen in decades. While both May Park and Dyess Park are in talks for various renovations, there’s a unique opportunity for the city to turn an area known for its nightmarish fortress to become a house of dreams for Augusta’s youth. If you’re a city official reading this, send me an email. I would love to talk to you about what we can do to uplift our community.
Ken Makin is the host of Makin’ A Difference and a freelance writer for ESPN and The Christian Science Monitor, among other outlets. Look him up on Facebook at Makin’ A Difference, and you can also send him an email with your thoughts at makinadifferenceshow@gmail. com.
