Photos by Tevin Sanson
Reynolds head football coach Pat Crowley.voices his frustration with the Hanes
Park Master Plan during a meeting held last Thursday. Crowley said city offi
cials have failed to include the Reynolds family in their decision-making
Winston-Salem Council Member Jeff Macintosh discusses the master plan for
Hanes Park during a drop-in meeting at Wiley Middle School on Thursday,
June 16. Macintosh, the representative of the Northwest Ward, said money for
the master plan is for repairing things that need to be fixed.
Reynolds supporters
dismiss Hanes Park
master plan
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
A meeting to unveil
renovations plans for
Hanes Park quickly turned
into a heated debate last
Thursday evening when a
group of supporters of
Reynolds High School
hijacked the drop-in meet
ing to voice their frustra
tions.
The initial purpose of
the meeting, hosted by
Winston-Salem Council
Member Jeff Macintosh,
was to give stakeholders in
the community a chance to
see the $1.75 million in
renovations expected to
begin on the park later this
year.
Bu all that changed
when Reynolds' head foot
ball coach Pat Crowley
marched into the meeting
with a large group of foot
ball players wearing the
schools iconic black and
gold colors.
While standing on a
chair surrounded by varsity
and junior varsity players
inside the Wiley Middle
School Library, Crowley
read a prepared statement
on the current condition of
the school's athletic facili
ties, and the need for
improvements.
Since 2012, athletic
boosters at the school have
pushed for major renova
tions to the school's gym
nasiums, and the building
of a football stadium on
land owned by the school
next to the park.
Later that same year.
Home Field Advantage, a
campaign to raise funds,
was started by athletic
boosters and other support
ers of the Reynolds athletic
department. Although it is
unclear how much the cam
paign has raised thus far,
the goal is $4.5 million,
according to the cam
paign's website.
As he addressed the
dozens in attendance,
Crowley said that while the
main campus has benefitted
from multi-million dollar
renovations over the years,
when talking about the ath
letic facilities, Reynolds
quickly goes from first to.
last.
"Bryson Gymnasium
has an incredible history
and charm. However, it has
been over 60 years since
the building has been
upgraded or renovated," he
continued. "There is no air
conditioning in the entire
building, the locker rooms,
bathrooms and shower
areas are an absolute dis
grace."
"The sad part is that
Bryson is probably the
schools best athletic facili
ty."
Crowley then named a
list of issues currently
plaguing the school's auxil
iary gymnasium, which it
shares with Wiley. He also
discussed the lack of space
for other sports teams to
practice play games, and
host events such as the
boys and girls soccer and
lacrosse teams, track and
field teams and a host of
others.
"Our stadium is seven
miles from campus. The
track has pot holes and we
haven't hosted a home
track meet in years." said
Crowley. "If you have any
doubts, I'll be happy to
give you a tour of our facil
ity."
Another issue athletic
boosters and school offi
cials had.with the detailed
plans was, the fact that, the
tennis courts located in the
center of the park would
remairi, preventing the
school from widening the
track to include eight lanes
instead of six. According to
previous plans presented to
the community on Dec. 9
of last year, the tennis court
would be removed.
Principal Leslie
Alexander mentioned that
during the city's plarinirtg
process, the voices of
Reynolds supporters were
not always heard. She said,
a number of families are
concerned that city officials
would create a master plan
without including space for
renovations that have been
in discussion for a number
of years. Alexander also
mentioned that the original
purpose of Hanes Park was
to serve the .schools in the
area as well as the commu
nity. She said, it seems over
the years, Reynolds' fami
lies have been left out of
the . " decision making
process.
"I can't speak for all the
Reynolds families, but I
know a number of families -
are concerned, about that,"
said Alexander. "They want
to make sure their voices
are heard when decisions
are being made on land that
belongs to the school.
"As principal its impor
tant for me to be here to say
how I feel, but it's more
important that the families
and students are heard."
While a number of resi
dents who attended the
meeting were there to sup
port Reynolds, not every
one who lives in the vicini
ty of the park thinks the sta
dium is a good idea. A
group called Save Hanes
Park (SHP) has worked
against the building of the
stadium since talks began
in 2012. SHP representa
tive Elizabeth D. Coyne
said she is very enthusiastic
about the master plan.
"Hanes Park is nearing
its centennial and is one of
the most used parks in the
city. It is more than a neigh
borhood park; it is a city
wide park," continued
Coyne. "With so many
groups invested in the park,
it needs a master plan.
"I am grateful to
Council Member Jeff
Macintosh for leading the
effort to get a master plan
inplace."
Freda Gordon, who has
lived in the area for more
than 40 years said, the sta
dium would create more
traffic issues for the area.
Gordon mentioned at times
she can't even cross the
street because of speeding
motorists.
"We already have
enough traffic, and I think
building a stadium would
cause more problems," she
said. "I don't think that's
something this community
needs."
After hearing the com
plaints, Macintosh, who
was viaibly distraught said
he did not appreciate his
meeting being hijacked for
the puipose of discussing
other issues. He went on to
say although gymnasium
renovations and the inclu
sion of the stadium were
not included in the master
plan, that doesn't mean
they cannot be added in the
future.
"The money for .this
master plan is for the spe
cific purpose of repairing
things that needed to be
repaired, maintenance, and
beautifi'cation," he said.
"We aren't saying other
things can't happen, but our
money was fqr a purpose,
we raised it, and that is how
were are going to spend it."
Wake Forest* In p*ftn?f?hip with 4*MEOCOST*
Baptist Health
July community health seminars,
screenings and events
Visit WakeHealth.edu/BestHealth for class descriptions and other events.
Events are FREE of charge and require registration, unless otherwise noted.
TUESDAY, JULY 5
Mike Wells on Elder Law Basics
1:30 to 2:30 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
SATURDAY, JULY 9
Healthy Cookout Favorites
1 to 2:30 pm
Brenner FIT in the William G. White
Jr. Family YMCA, 775 West End Blvd.,
Winston-Salem
MONDAY, JULY 11
Oh, My Hips and Knees! \ 6 to 7 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Davie
Medical Center, Cardiac Classroom,
Plaza 1, Highway 801 N, I-40 (Exit
180), Bermuda Run
MONDAY, JULY 18
Delicious Dishes for Healthy Bones
6 to 7:30 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
TUESDAY, JULY 19
Yoga \ Noon to 1 pm
Sunrise Yoga Studio, 1000
Meadowbrook Drive, Suite 1,
Clemmons
THURSDAY, JULY 21
Safe Sitter Basic* \ 8 am to 3 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Davie
Medical Center, Cardiac Classroom,
Plaza 1, Highway 801 N, I-40 (Exit
180), Bermuda Run
SUNDAYS, JULY 3, P<f|
10,17. 24 and 31 (2c)
3 to 4 pm
For ages 18 and older. $10 fee per
session. Make check payable to
BestHealth and bring with you to
the event. D1 Sports football field,
1901 Mooney St., Winston-Salem.
WEDNESDAYS, JULY 6,13,
20 and 27 _
8:30 am and 6 pm JF3BF
For more information "^ botance
and registration, visit
New Balance Winston-Salem or
online at nbwinstonsalem.com.
THURSDAY, JULY 28
Protect Your Skin This Summer
6:30 to 7:30 pm
Wake Forest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country.
Club Road, Winston-Salem
FRIDAY, JULY 29
Why Are Women's Hearts Different
from Men's? \ 5 to 6 pm
Wake Fbrest Baptist Health Medical
Plaza-Country Club, 4610 Country
Club Road, Winston-Salem
To register, call or visit:
336-713-BEST (2378) \ Wak?H?aith.?du/BestHeatth |