To the editor:

Lawrence does need a community sports facility. There are more than 90 youth teams in Lawrence, each averaging 10 kids. All of these teams have one practice and one game each week. This is done with three community gyms and school gyms. You do the math.

Adult city league basketball takes up the community gyms every day but Saturday, so all youth games are played on Saturdays. Practices have to be held during the week at school gyms across town, and this is done with the reluctant semi-cooperation of the schools and their principals. A number of principals, despite the fact they send reams of memos home telling parents to make sure their kids exercise, really don’t want their gyms to be used, so they complain and place unwarranted restrictions on the use of their gyms.

A community sports complex, including four to eight gyms, would greatly reduce the reliance of the city’s youth program on uncooperative schools. Practices would not have to be canceled due to school activities. With time and gym space so limited, canceled practices are nearly impossible to make up, and it is the kids who suffer.

Lawrence is lucky enough to have someone, Lee Ice, in charge of the city’s youth sports program who works very hard and really cares about our children. We should show our appreciation for his Herculean efforts by building facilities that match his caring and work. If it costs me an extra penny in sales tax to help our youths, count me in.

Joel Wagler,

Lawrence