Duval school board member pushes to lift restrictions on using local parks

A day after an Action News Jax investigation found that local children are being locked out of public athletic fields, a new plan to open them up permanently is being discussed.

The plan comes amid concerns about vandalism.

School board member Scott Shine said he’s fighting to funnel more money into the city’s sports fields through Duval County Public Schools.  Shine believes the venture is realistic.

Action News Jax uncovered video of cars doing doughnuts on the fields at the Mandarin Athletic Association (MAA) in April.

Wes Benwick, a former MAA president, said vandalism is why associations have to lock up the fields.

“From a former park president, I don't blame them, because the money they put in, they don't want to lose that money,” Benwick said.  “At MAA, in a two-year period, we lost $10,000 easily to vandalism.”

Many city fields run by associations like MAA are kept locked. If you're not a playing in a league game, you have to get a permit to use the fields.

But many believe opening the fields, especially those in high-crime areas, could help the city's teen violence problem by giving young people more to do.

Shine said city concerns about liability are standing in the way of securing funding.

“In some cases, I believe as a government we need to just take the risk. All these things belong to the public, and when they don't have access to it, it's really of no value to them,” Shine said. “The concept of chaining up an athletic field is a foreign thought to me.”

The Oceanway Sports Association, which secures fields at Sherffield Park in Jacksonville, sent Action News Jax a statement:

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