To the editor:

As a father, business owner and coach I am concerned about the future of youth sports in Lawrence. We pride ourselves on being a community that supports local.

PLAY is asking for a feasibility study that could lead to a wonderful added source of tourists and consumers to Lawrence, while providing a top-rated recreation complex for our youths. The response has been that it looks good but someone else should take the lead. This passing of the buck from our elected officials has to stop.

As a community we should demand that our leaders work together to explore every opportunity to support our local tax base, strengthen opportunities for local youths and broaden our position as a regional leader.

People come to Lawrence to live in a community that has a strong urban feel and deep local ties.

Why then, do we send our youngest citizens and their families to competing communities to spend local dollars?

We need a council member, commissioner, board member or chamber liaison who has the vision to develop the future of Lawrence. Where have these leaders gone?

The quickest way to become a bedroom community to larger urban cities is to continually export our youths to their towns and recreation complexes.

If “Start Here” is good for our businesses then “Stay Here” is needed for our local athletes and families.

Elected officials should work together to fund the feasibility study and then give the community as a whole the opportunity to have the vision to build the complex.

Brian Wise,

Lawrence