If the city of Oshkosh is going to sell Lakeshore Golf Course for a new Oshkosh Corporation world headquarters, or for residential development or even for retail use, I hope that it is not just for a one-time cash grab–but rather it is done as part of a comprehensive review of recreational programs throughout the city. Most city parks–not just those in Oshkosh–are based on a 60-year old concept of people’s activities and interests. If city leaders and Councilmembers are as “progressive” as they claim to be, ALL parks facilities would be brought up to “modern” usage and demand.
Let’s start with ball diamonds. Most of the facilities in Oshkosh were built in the 1950’s when baseball was “America’s Pastime”. Neighborhood kids would congregate in the morning–choose up sides–and play until their mother’s called them home for dinner. Now, those diamonds sit empty nearly all day–until the organized leagues come in to use them for just a couple of months out of the year. And those leagues are struggling to maintain participation levels–so much so that the YMCA now runs youth baseball in the city–while OYB just fields the more-profitable traveling all-star teams. Adult softball is seeing a precipitous drop in league play as well, as people find plenty of other activities to fill their summer nights. Doing away with many of the ball diamonds in Oshkosh–and having the Y host their leagues on their site–would open up space in Menominee Park for high-end lakeview condos and room for more senior living in Red Arrow Park.
Playgrounds are another archaic recreational idea that take up space and city resources. When was the last time you told your child to go to the playground–without your supervision–to play for the day? “Stranger danger” has all but killed hanging out at the park–and today’s “safety first” equipment is boring. That’s what makes the equipment fertile grounds for vandalism–nobody is ever using it. And when families do come down to swing or slide, the kids usually grow bored within 20-minutes and want to watch videos on the Ipod. There is additional space the city can sell for boutique coffee shops next to the aforementioned senior living and condo units.
Even vast green spaces are underutilized today. You can’t play fetch with your dog off a leash–and there is a dogpark for that already in town. The idea of bringing a picnic to the park to eat on a blanket spread on the ground is so old-fashioned that it makes people laugh. It’s so much easier to grab drive-thru at the fast food place and eat in your car. Limiting our recreational areas to pavilions that generate rental income or bike and walking trails that take up less space and appeal to the few people who want to get out and be active makes far more sense.
And don’t think that our decreased demand for recreation space and programs is just a temporary thing. TV networks are considering covering “eSports”–just like they do professional leagues like the NFL and Major League Baseball. That means our next generation of “stars” will be inspired not to field grounders from Dad at the neighborhood diamond or to work on their jump shots at the concrete courts but rather to spend more time on their couch hooked up to a virtual reality headsets and game controllers.
So go ahead and put all the research into selling Lakeshore Golf Course you need to do, Oshkosh officials. It’s the first step toward our inevitable future as a fat and lazy city.
