It truly is a travesty that our commissioners are even entertaining the idea of selling off the AYSO fields near Valley View.
Those fields are home to hundreds of children who run from 5 years old into their teens. The volunteers are friendly and welcoming enough that complete strangers come together to help - from grass cutting, to snack selling to carrying equipment.
Not just adults, but children. When is the last time you saw that in a group of 400-500 kids?
The atmosphere of sportsmanship is truly amazing. Not once have I seen a child who wasn't respectful, an overzealous parent or a fanatical coach, something I know I can't say about school-sponsored sports.
People wonder why the community is perceived as going downhill fast; it's things like this that cause it.
Commissioners are concerned about the city's finances. The pros of retaining the field for AYSO use far outweighs any con.
The sale of this field, even in the short term is a financially asinine idea.
The children in the program - our youth - deserve this field. Look elsewhere to save your budget. This certainly won't be doing Altoona any favors in the future.
Stacey Bernhart-Horton
Altoona
