The Recreation and Park Commission for the parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) speaks on their plan to sell several unused parks across North Baton Rouge.

BREC says that the parks being chosen for closure are viewed as obsolete and are no longer needed for public purposes. The plan is “not new, not political, and not targeted” according to BREC Commission Chairman Micheal A. Polito.

After committee discussion of the size and popularity of three parks, the sale of these parks is final-Alexander Street, Belfair Park, and Blueberry Street Park. 43 of BREC’s 175 parks are a part of BREC’s Imagine Your Parks 3 plan- a project aimed to responsibly manage BREC’s properties and assets.

12-year-old Malakai Carter on how the closures would impact him and other kids his age.

“We got waterparks, we got jumping places, we got all that stuff,” Carter says. “We could shut down all the parks and we’re still going to have fun.”

While the city does have various recreation centers, BREC’s statistics show that 50% of these centers ranked poorly due to lack of air conditioning or age, leaving kids with play options that are currently unsafe.

Assistant Director of Planning and Development at BREC, Brett Wallace explains how they intend on making improvements to existing recreation centers based on community input.

“Whether that be a playground, basketball courts, pickleball courts or volleyball courts, “says Wallace, “Whatever that community needs at that location, we’ll work with them to see what they would want.”

BREC says that swapping parks for improved recreation centers will make a great impact.

“It is a tradeoff, but we feel that it is a better service to the community.” said Wallace.

Wallace says that BREC is “currently scheduling meetings with the community to engage with them in regard to the other eight properties and will continue to do so.”