Recreation Facilities for Tracy's Youth

By Michael Maciel

For far too long, Tracy has failed to provide adequate recreational facilities for youth sports. There are now opportunites to break the log-jam.

I have not only been a strong proponent of the Holly Sugar site, but of working with the youth leagues to enable them to build and maintain their own fields by having the city provide basic infrastructure and leasing the property to the leagues.

This approach saves the city money in that construction and ongoing maintenance responsibilities are covered by the individual leagues, which can use volunteer labor and donated equipment and material. The leagues would not have to depend on the city for work they are capable of doing themselves.

I also support the negotiation of a development agreement that would bring an aquatics center to Tracy. The current city owned pool is no larger than the old Tracy Plunge I swam in as a child, over forty years ago. It simply does not meet community needs during Tracy summers.

Without this agreement, it will be many years before the city can build additional community pools. I believe in negotiating to use private sector dollars to build this much needed amenity.