Description
It's pathetic and pitiful at this point, it's a horror to see Alpharetta neglect this issue with no guilt. I thought this was an empathetic community, apparently I was wrong on my end... I'm sorry I believed in a safe place for EVERYONE. Alpharetta's defintion of "community" is simply a racial narrative, which people of color are not welcomed. I have TONS of videos of people not social distancing. Of course though, I can't include videos in this! The baseball fields are packed, the playgrounds are full, and the frisbee golf course is overcrouwded (which is the norm). I'm beyond tired getting a hold of Atlanta ABC News, Alpharetta News, and this. You should all be ashamed that you're adding to the problem (BLM). It's heartbreaking visiting the park to see everyone happy, while the basketball court is empty. The most used ammenity. It's disrespectful, mainly [black] men used the courts. You owe a MASSIVE apology, a genuine, long one for all those who used the courts ... and of course, black people need LOTS of sorries. It's humiluating to live here, knowing that this is how Alpharetta operates, treating black people like they're lesser. You have the capacity to open the the courts, but you don't. You have no qualams that Alpharetta is racist, after this. I truly hope you are happy with yoursleves, because a lot of other [black] people are out there are suffering. You want to be pro BLM? You should be opening the courts and make EVERYONE feel welcome. I'm deeply saddened by this, I can only imagine how people who use the court feel. So good job Alpharetta, your true colors have been discovered. You accept white poeple, but not black people. You are a huge part of the racial peoblem, going on in the USA. I have given you half of summer to change, and you still haven't. All your downtown restruants are open? Everything is open, except the basketball courts. How interesting. This is no longer a friendly, family community. It's a community for white people. It's horrifying, I am so sorry for the black people facing Alpharetta's oppression. If I post this and there is no fixtures with the court (which little kids can use)!! I will continue until this change. How can you hear, see, and view black people as people when this is how you treat them?
5 Comments
Acknowledged City of Alpharetta (Verified Official)
Daniel (Registered User)
The City is the furthest from racist I've ever seen. The City has some summer camps which are well controlled given the COVID-19 pandemic. Children have their temperatures checked daily when they show up. This is likely one of the courts that they use and the City wants control over to ensure they know who is coming in and out is negative for any symptoms.
If you think this is wrong, I would encourage you to write the City Council and Mayor who oversee the Parks & Recs department. This report is likely to be closed soon by the City as it's not something "broken" that needs "fixing." That being said, I can tell this is a passionate subject for you so I hope you will report it to those who can either explain the closure or make the changes needed within the City.
COAADMIN (Verified Official)
The City of Alpharetta is following a phased plan for the reopening of City facilities and operations. The basketball courts are very much included in that plan but will occur during a later phase than some other facilities such as the dog park, ball fields for unorganized play, and tennis/pickleball courts, the use of which involves little to no physical contact and at which current social distancing guidelines can more easily be maintained.
With respect to the limited use of the courts by day camp participants, the previous comment by Daniel is accurate. Participants in our day camps are screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms. That enables us to limit the risk of infection for the campers. We also know exactly who is in each camp, so if a camp participant does test positive for the virus, we know exactly who in our program they have been in contact with and can advise those individuals of the situation, quarantine them from the program, and advise they be tested for infection.
That level of monitoring and control is simply beyond our capability for general use of basketball courts for pickup play.
While we understand that many Alpharetta residents are anxious for the reopening of the basketball courts, the courts are most often used for 5-on-5 or 3-on-3 pickup games that cannot be played without a fairly high amount of physical contact. Based upon current CDC guidelines, such levels of contact are simply not safe at this time.
Unfortunately, as much as we would like to be able to provide a firm date for the reopening of the basketball courts, we cannot predict when public health agencies such as the CDC and Fulton County Public Health that have the knowledge to make such decisions will determine that the risk for spreading COVID-19 is sufficiently low for the public to reengage in higher-contact sports.
The safety of our residents, ALL of our residents, must always be our top priority, and that is what has and will continue to drive our decisions.
Save Coney (Registered User)
Closed City of Alpharetta (Verified Official)