Turf Turf Baby

I will always remember the day a long time Batavia Townie told me,” You big city types move out here and try to change this place” we don’t need turf football field for these kids. Not worth it, it will raise my taxes he mumbled. Then he than got in his car and sat in the traffic that has no other option than the one bridge in this town. I started to see a pattern.

I’m from West Chicago, I believe by way of Fermi Lab we share a border. I’m pretty sure I’m not the “Big City” type, although by way of what I do for a living, I can see why he may have thought that way.

But the fact is this, my son (provided he has good health and a little good luck), will play only four more games (excluding playoff games) on this new field so I don’t really have that big of a horse in this race.

Here’s what the people who worry about what this will do to their tax base don’t understand. How do you put a price on a kids health? My sons knees, his ankles, you can’t.

Furthermore, look at your taxes now, if you live in this district you have to wonder where all your tax money goes. I own two homes here, 23,000 in taxes… I think we need to fire whoever appropriates our money and get them tossed.

This is a town that has that new fancy “city center” with the arch that pretty much serves as the gateway to the trailer court up the street. Don’t tell me this field is an overzealous expenditure.

Someone needs to understand what football, the cheer and pom pom teams, band, and the Dawg pound mean to this community. To these kids, it’s our job as a community to build great kids. They are our future. How hard is this to grasp? If you don’t get how this works take a look at what goes on 20 miles to the east. I think you get the gist.

But the beauty in this deal is that the turf is going in, it’s done, It’s a deal. And the boosters and fundraisers are what did it. Along with a 7-0 board  vote.

You see that’s the beauty the aforementioned community I talked about, We did this as a team, and I’m sure that the people who make up this community had the chance to have a good education, and support along the way. It’s what shapes us. It’s what will shape these kids. It makes no difference if your kid is on the football or the soccer team. Or if your child is in one of the many productions in Batavia’s state of art arts performing center. Quite simply they deserve to have these facilities.

Batavia is a cool hard-working town, and although the one bridge drives me crazy, it also lends to its charm.

And to the lady that always writes to a newspaper that has less circulation than my twitter account. The kids and this town have won. You should be lucky enough to know these kids as well as we do. But judging  from your colder than Isis mentality you don’t deserve it.

In the words of my friend and the Bulldog’s long time announcer, Rudy, TURF FIELD BATAVIA!

#Winning.

RR