Residents speak in favor of keeping Stubbs gym

The council held a public hearing following its regular meeting to hear about two concept drawings – one with Stubbs Gym removed and the other with it staying. 

“The question is what does the community need in this area and can that need be met either by a renovation of this gym or by construction of a new facility? That is what I’m really interested in,” said Dublin Mayor Joshua Kight. 

“So, is it better to renovate this early 1990s gym or do we build a new facility and potentially new landscaping for the Stubbs Park area? … We need to hear what you have to say.”

Kight reminded everyone that a yearlong study had just been completed about what people wanted in the city parks. 

The Dublin City Council meeting chamber was packed last Thursday, with many in attendance telling their elected officials that they want to keep the gym at Stubbs Park and have it renovated, and also making clear they do not want any ponds at the expanded park.

“There was a lot of outreach done, but obviously you aren’t going to reach everybody,” the mayor said. “You can put it on social media, in the newspaper and show up at gyms, parks and festivals and you still aren’t going to reach everybody. That is why we wanted to schedule this additional hearing to allow additional input.” 

He wants to clarify that if the gym was closed, the city would build an activity center that would provide bathrooms to be accessible to the playground, offices for a new park director and an area for other community events. 

“There is no proposal to close the gym soon,” Kight said. “The gym will be open for as long the Oconee Gym is closed for renovations. It will remain open through at least 2025.”

He acknowledged that Southern Pines is building a large 60,000-square-foot gym that is planned to be completed by 2025. 

Sally Underwood was for keeping the gym and not having the pond.

“There are a lot of grown folks and kids who don’t know how to swim,” she said. “At night, when everybody is asleep and no one will be there to watch, are you going to put a guard there? Keeping the gym will be a good thing.” 

Carolyn McCune wants to see the gym renovated.

“(The gym) is important because it’s a polling precinct,” McCune said. “That pond is a death sentence for somebody. Unless you want to be personally responsible for any injuries or deaths over there, you need to delete that pond.” 

She was not the only one to express this sentiment about the pond. Also throughout the evening, many youths approached the podium to plead for keeping the gym.

One young man said putting a pond at Stubbs Park would put his and his little sisters and brothers’ lives at risk. He stressed that he just wants to go to the gym and have fun, and wants a park where they can feel safe.

“I always appreciate when we have our young people show up,” Kight said. “We definitely need to hear from our next generation. We are doing this for you guys.” 

Former Dublin High School boys basketball coach Clinton Thomas said the Stubbs gym is centrally located.

“I think there is a lot more purpose left for that facility,” Thomas said. “In the past, that facility has been used by Communities In Schools, Dublin Housing Authority, special needs programs, mental health activities, senior citizens use it and, of course, it is used for youth basketball.”

He said the new gym at Southern Pines would be used for travel ball. He would like to see the gym renovated and have more supervision in it.

Rae Bloodworth presented Councilman Chris Smith with signed signatures of people who wanted to keep the gym.

“We want to stand with you because it’s your area and you support the gym staying,” Bloodworth said. “I have spoken with Mayor Kight and he said no one uses the gym. If you don’t have anybody over there, nobody will come over there.”

Kenny Walters, who was representing the Dublin-Laurens County NAACP, said they always want more voting precincts, not less.

“A lot of people vote at that gym,” Walters said. “We want more voting precincts, not less. Our big issue about this whole project is, ‘Is there going to be a voting precinct in close proximity to that area?’” 

George Hollingsworth said it was important to remember the recreation that was cut out in the Oconee Gym. He helped give out food for breakfast and lunch this past summer. He said the Oconee Gym is not being used because nobody is there.

“It’s not open,” Hollingsworth said. 

Kight said the gym was not closed, and City Manager Josh Powell said the Oconee Gym is open every afternoon. Laurens County Commissioner Brenda Chain said many people have told her they do not want the gym torn down.

“They want to be able to get in and out of that gym, and not (be) policed,” said Chain, who helped Hollingsworth and others provide food this past summer. “The children were not able to get in there because nobody was there.”

The main thing Chain did not like about the plans was the pond.

“I think that is too much of a liability for that area to take a chance on even just one child dying in that pond,” Chain said.

Former Dublin City Councilwoman and Mayor Julie Driger said she was for everyone wanting to keep the gym.

“We have children who play basketball in that gym,” Driger said. “They use it and we don’t want to take anything away from our children so that they can grow up to be productive citizens. Keep Stubbs Park Gym, ’cause even us old folks like going to Stubbs Park.” 

Brenda Smith, director of the Dublin Housing Authority, said they will not be taking the children to the gym right now. She noticed how the council looked shocked when they learned it was not open as much. 

Powell said the Oconee Gym is open Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Smith said the Oconee Gym is opened and then left without any supervision.

“My husband went by the gym and it was wide open and all lights were on,” Smith said. “The thing that bothered me most was there was a child in there by himself. … That is what the child always did when there was supervision there. … Until you develop a plan of action, we don’t feel safe sending our children to (Stubbs) gym.” 

Kight said they will take all of the input from Thursday’s hearing, along with the information received from people throughout the past year, and make a decision during the Aug. 15 meeting.

“We have written down all of these comments on how the gym has been used and the desires for it,” Kight said. “It is good that we are having this hard discussion now.” 

Councilman Richard Mascaro said everything the mayor and council does comes with a lot of thought.

“I think that the transparency that we’re trying to display, and asking people questions, is exactly what we’re supposed to be doing,” he said. “If you don’t respond, we can’t make good decisions for our community talking to ourselves. … I want you to know we’re listening.” 

Chris Smith, who is a councilman for the area of the gym, said he works for the citizens in the city.

“We are doing this for you,” he said. “The council has a decision to make. The citizens came out and told us they want their gym. Stubbs Park is a gem in the community. If you leave a gym unattended for 30-plus years, it’s going to get dusty. Once you polish up the gym, it shines again.” 

Councilman Bennie Jones said Stubbs Gym is not in bad shape.

“It just needs to be shined up, not thrown away,” said Jones, adding that he likes green space, but did not believe that area needed a pond. “I hope our council has listened to the citizens. I invite you back on Aug. 15 to look these same council people in the eyes and see how they vote.”   

Councilwomen Tess Godfrey and Sara Kolbie thanked everyone for coming out to talk about the gym. They did ask for them to come out when there are issues.

“We have so many other fish to fry,” Godfrey said. “I wish you would come out about the violence and crime that are happening in our city. Come out with the same energy for those type of things.”