Daniel Bayer
 Staff Writer

A plan to increase the number of soccer fields at Bryan Park drew opposition from area residents at the meeting of the Greensboro City Council’s General Governing Committee on October 12, with speakers from the floor voicing concerns over landscape and traffic issues during the park’s well-attended soccer tournaments.

“We’re surrounded by Bryan Park,” Trish McDermott, a resident of Hidden Lake Farms, a neighborhood bordering the park, said. “We love it, but now we’re talking about bringing more soccer fields and tearing out thousands of trees. We’ve asked that the location of the fields be reconsidered.”

McDermott was not the only resident who raised concerns.

“We feel we’ve been left out of the process,” Patti Frascone, another resident, said. “No one anticipated how popular the existing fields would be.”

These comments came as the committee was voting on a resolution that would fund the project, but council members and city staff sought to allay residents’ fears, telling them that the project was still under review and had not been approved by the entire council yet. The General Government Committee decides what matters will go before the entire city council for greater discussion and possible approval.

“Our technical review process looks at the full site and we are continuing to do so,”  Assistant City Manager Chris Wilson said.

Council member and Mayor Pro Tem Yvonne Johnson said that the city Parks and Recreation Department should involve park neighbors in the process and was assured that they were.

“We met with the community in August and learned a lot,” Greensboro Parks and Recreation Director Wade Walcutt said. “We made changes after listening to the residents.”

Committee member and District Five representative Tony Wilkins seemed surprised by the opposition to the expansion.

“This is the first I’ve heard of this,” Wilkins said as he noted that soccer tournaments held at Bryan Park brought in significant income to the city. “I will have conversations [with city staff] based on you coming forward.”

In light of the concerns, Johnson addressed the meeting-goers.

“We can discuss this with the larger council,” Johnson said, after which, the committee voted 3-0 to send the matter before the city council.

Another matter of some contention was a resolution in opposition to House Bill 318, a state law that makes it impossible for residents of North Carolina to use non-state issued identification when dealing with law enforcement or local governments. Locally, those who need identification and are unable to get it from the state because of immigration status or other reasons can use an identification card from FaithAction International House, a nonprofit that assists immigrants.

“I can’t support this,” said Wilkins. “How did this get on the agenda?”

In response, Assistant Mary Vigue answered.

“The Human Relations Commission brought it up,” Vigue said.

Vigue’s response elicited more questions from Wilkins.

“So the Human Relations Commission can place an item on our agenda that opposes a law that’s been passed by the state?” Wilkins asked.

Dr. Love Crossling, executive director of human relations for the city, explained that locally-issued identification doesn’t affect the holder’s residency status.

“It affects access to city services such as water and sewer,” Crossling said regarding the FaithAction ID. “It’s equivalent to any other ID when dealing with the police.”

The item passed 2-1, with Wilkins opposing it.

District One representative Sharon Hightower had questions for city staff regarding a resolution approving a contract with HDR Engineering to investigate the presence of Perflourooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in the city’s watershed.

“I would like to see some attempt at outreach” to A&T, one of the city’s two predominantly African-American institutions of higher learning.

“Water research isn’t something that A&T does,” Steve Drew, the city’s water resources director, said as he added that the city was required by federal law to find out where the substance was coming from.

The item passed 2-1 with Hightower voting against it.

Among items that passed with little if any discussion were resolutions to modernize the elevators in the Melvin Municipal Office Building, authorize the sale of surplus property at 907 Foushee Street and approving the expenditure of $581,000 for bridge repair.

Sabrina Hernandez
       Staff Writer

Residents of Hidden Lake Farm are very upset about the plans for future construction beside their peaceful private property.

Current residents, Ronny Jefferson and Keith Wilde both agree that their community is not a good place to construct a $4.5 million dollar soccer facility due to many factors, including safety, privacy, limited space, lights during the night hours and noise.

According to Ms. Gabe, an elderly lady who spoke at the meeting, claims that when she moved into her home, it was a perfect place to live, and the lake is very peaceful. She is very concerned that the potential poisonous sprays that will be used on the soccer fields will contaminate the lake.

Gabe says that she has already seen the lake turn red and is alarmed by this color in the water.

“What will happen to the turtles, fish and ducks?” Gabe asked.

Gabe also emphasized that Lake Townsend is also a huge drinking reservoir for the community of Greensboro.

Another homeowner from the same neighborhood addressed the fact that the soccer fields would be built basically right in his backyard.

“I can see the lights from my kitchen, and it is only 200 ft away from my private property.”

The property owners relayed much dissatisfaction on the fact that the city of Greensboro is attempting to build a huge soccer facility with multiple fields in the presence of their beautiful neighborhood.

Construction has brought a nature concern to the citizens of Hidden Lake Farm.

“The trees behind my house will be chopped in order to fulfill the duty of construction, leaving no more peaceful trail walks that is connected to their neighborhood. There will also be a limited amount of habitats for the current animals,” Wilde said.

These residents also hold major issues with future safety of their quiet community. They showed concern about limited parking availability and kids having to cross the road with heavy traffic, as well as the dangerous railroad tracks in order to switch soccer fields.