A take it or leave it approach usually results in no one walking away truly satisfied, and this could end up being the case with Saturday’s decision by the Ocean Pines Board of Directors to proceed with installing a pirate ship playground at the yacht club.
Like many things these days, discussion focused on pitting groups against one another. Either you are a family with young children who should be allowed to enjoy dining and entertainment at the facility, or an older retiree who would rather they not. This was not the issue, as both young and old in the community want to see the venue attract more families, which will go a long way in ensuring its success.
While there was discussion of how to avoid disturbing those who wish to enjoy a peaceful day at the adult pool, little thought was given to the safety and convenience of locating the play area so close to the parking lot.
For good reason, other venues having similar structures have both a fenced play area along with completely enclosed outdoor area. Young children are unpredictable and the location, only a few feet from the parking lot, cannot be viewed from the dining area, which will require parents to play tag-team while dining in order to ensure their kids do not put themselves in harm’s way.
Also never discussed were any possible alternatives. Most likely the family who made this generous donation are not stuck on it being a pirate ship, but were just interested in attracting more families to the facility. Certainly a smaller, equally appealing play area near the dining area should have been considered, and would better serve the intended purpose.
Since the Yacht Club was a lightning rod of disgruntlement in the community, the quick changes taking place are welcome, but the autocratic way it appears to be taking place is concerning. Many on the board are seemingly caught unaware of a multitude of changes and little effort is being made to ensure input from the community is provided before major changes take place.
It would be wise to remember the community indicated, with its votes in the past election, that the heart of its discontent was the need for more communication and community involvement.