An open letter to LouAnn Visotcky (President of the Board of Trustees of the Boy's &  Girl's Club of Garfield) based on the letter in the opinion section of the Record dated February 20, 2013. This letter is entitled, Reaching out to local youth.

Good for you. Good for Garfield. Stay at home and enjoy your accolades. You have no experience running a rink. Transforming that dilapidated structure into an indoor facility will cost millions in this challenged economy. Who are you? 

 "We have a plan to convert the arena in Mackay Park into basketball courts in the summer and a venue for concerts, banquets and other events."  

Gee wiz, we were never included consulted or anything of the sort. Concerts and banquets are not generally given with children in mind. We have attended Master Plan Meetings in which we have made ourselves very clear. We want a Community Center. We need a Community Center. You got yourselves up in the middle of a 33 year old mess. Step off. Should we talk about how we have done our due diligence in investigation also? Where is the business plan? Garfield has a Community Center and has quite a lot of other problems that are not so attractive. We have been offered the Rink as our Community Center. That is truly comical. We know what is inside that building, a stone floor and disgusting bathrooms.

 Our elected officials have spoken. The Democratic process has done what it is supposed to do. The plan did not get enough votes from the City Council. Get over it. This is the process that should have been followed in the first place. All of those concerned should stop stomping around like little children and suck it up. There is something here that is not being said. How can someone from another town that runs a Boy's and Girl's Club presume to get up in Englewood business and tell us to spend millions without a dime coming out of your pockets? Riddle us that?

 What is in this for the Boy's and Girl's Club? Where is your business plan? You are the ones who need to go back into your drawing rooms and determine why it is that we should agree to convince our elected officials to do what you want. You did not sign a contract with 3rd and 4th ward residents. You signed a contract with the 1st and 2nd ward. This letter is an insult. It should stop now. You have gone far enough. Why should we spend millions on an arena that services less than 10% of our youth. It is not that important. We have some serious problems going on here that demand the attention of the City Officials and the voters. The Arena is not among those problems. What is this Arena diversion really covering up? The Mayor should never have signed that contract with you without first bringing it to us, the stakeholders. 

 You talked to people who live in other wards about something you presume to bring to us. There is  no school in the summertime, so there is  no after school play time here. There is nothing in the rink, but the rink. There is nothing inside that run down rink, but a rink. Whom do you think you are fooling? You have no business plan. 

Take your own advice. Step back and take another look at the mess you have stepped into. This whole rink situation is but a diversion. Put the roof on and skate. That is what was decided at the City Council Meeting that I attended.