INVESTIGATION: Providence’s Taveras Ignored Report on Recreation
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
A report on Providence recreation written by a Mayoral Fellow to Angel Taveras – and recently leaked to GoLocalProv -- shows that the city administration ignored its own commissioned analysis, while it has systematically reduced recreation services, notably the closing of city pools.
The report, drafted for the City by fellow Matthew Kramer, was presented to key members of the Taveras administration in August of 2011, and made strong recommendations about improving existing recreation infrastructure and expanding programs for city youth.
The report specifically highlighted the critical need to preserve and expand the swimming pools in the city.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“In my observation, the public pools [seem] an invaluable asset,” wrote Kramer, who toured all but one of the city’s rec centers to write his report. “Pools provide a safe, monitored hangout for teenagers in the summer. They are the only place children can learn to swim in the city,” he continued.
During the time since the Mayoral Fellow’s report was issued, the Taveras administration has gone against nearly every recommendation or failed to put in the oversights recommended in the findings.
Fiscal Controls and Accountability Recommendations Ignored
The report issued to the Taveras administration recommended improvements in four areas: Accountability, access, resource management and funding and organization.
Accountability
Mayoral Fellow Kramer urged that the Taveras administration create a system to keep track of children at the recreation facilities and what programs they participate in. The Taveras Administration has not implemented this recommendation from their own Mayoral Fellow.
Access
The 23-page report recommended improvements to the city’s website and improved signage at the recreation centers. Presently, the city’s website has only minimal information about recreation programs, city-sponsored sports leagues, and has no reference material on health living, fitness or avoiding obesity.
Resource Management and Funding
Mayoral Fellow Kramer raised concerns in the report regarding management of petty cash and other funds. Efforts to reach the Taveras administration regarding these concerns about city funds went unanswered.
Recreation’s Organization and Programming
The report also recommended a reorganization of the department to ensure better programming. The Taveras administration has made no substantive changes during the past two years.
Swimming
The Taveras administration has come under fire both by members of the City Council and civil rights leaders for continuing a policy of closing public pools and decreasing access to swim lessons.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified the lack of access to public swimming facilities as one of the reasons for disproportionate drowning rate of African-American children. African-American children between the ages of 5 and 14 were found to be almost three times more likely to drown than white children, according to the CDC.
The Report’s recommendations are in direct conflict with the most recent policies of the Taveras administration.
The report said, “The solution is not to close the pools but to fix them and put water parks next to them…these pools are an important resource for these communities. They provide a safe place for kids to hang out and cool off in the summer.”
As Kyron Lopes, age 15, told GoLocalProv earlier this week, “There's been a lot of trouble. And it's getting worse because it's hot, and kids get aggravated, and they can't help it. Kids are getting into fights, a lot of arguments…their bodies are just dehydrated, and they just need to be cool."
Crime Spike in Hot Weather
According to police statistics through June, Providence had 60 robberies with a firearm and 130 other robberies -- a 9% and 13% increase over the same time period in 2012.
The Mayoral report had concluded that recreation “provides children with a safe place to go that keeps them active and at a low cost.”
The author of the report has also served as an assistant to Judge Susan McGuirl, on the staff of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and as an assistant of the staff of the 195 Commision.
Repeated efforts for comment from Mayor Angel Taveras’ office went unreturned.
Related Articles
- Providence Youth Outraged at Lack of Pools in Heat Wave
- South Providence Pool Reopens After 7 Years
- Taveras Admin’s Decision to Close Pool Called Political and Racist
- GoLocal Looks At Providence’s Public Pools
- In Case You Missed It: Taveras Closes Pool
