Community Update: Formal Email Sent to Parks & Rec Leadership & Next Steps

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much to every neighbor and resident who signed and shared this petition over the past 24 hours! Thanks to your support, our message is gaining momentum.

I wanted to share two important updates on where things stand and how we are taking action:

1. Response Regarding Current Field Restrictions
I recently reached out to the Director of Operations regarding field access at the Hoover Met Complex. I was informed that there is no field availability up until at least November. Furthermore, even if space becomes available, individual residents wanting casual recreation are required to pay commercial rental fees and purchase commercial liability insurance—treating working families looking to kick a soccer ball around like commercial tournament organizers.

2. Formal Communication Sent to Hoover Parks & Recreation
To address these barriers, I sent an email to Hoover Parks & Recreation leadership. The email highlighted resident concerns regarding both the Hoover Met Complex multipurpose fields and Riverchase Sports Park.

Specifically, I highlighted that:

• Free daytime open-play hours (Monday–Thursday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM) do not work for full-time working residents or students.
• Friday through Sunday has zero resident open-play access.
• Public facilities built by taxpayers should serve local taxpayers, not function purely as commercial operations.

I have requested that Hoover Parks & Recreation leadership to include our petition and resident statements in the Board Packet (deck) for the next Parks & Recreation Board meeting to review.

3. What’s Next: Attending the Upcoming Board Meeting
I am planning to attend the next Hoover Parks & Recreation Board meeting in person to represent our community and deliver our public comments.

When: Tuesday, September 1st at 5:30 PM (Board meetings take place on the first Tuesday of the month)
Call to Action: I strongly encourage all Hoover residents and families who care about public park access to join me at this meeting. Having a strong resident presence in the room will make a huge difference!

I will keep everyone updated as soon as I receive a response from Parks & Rec leadership, and I will send out a reminder update as we get closer to the September 1st meeting date.

Thank you again for your incredible support and for standing up for local resident access. Please keep sharing the petition with your neighbors.