The Ajax basketball court off Cross Street, next to the old Chestertown Train Station, will get a light makeover in the coming days, but the future of the location is in doubt.
Local activist, John Munson, appeared before the Chestertown Town Council Tuesday to get a commitment from the Town to refurbish the location and make it an attractive facility for local residents to gather for recreation, but Munson was met with differing opinions from Mayor Margo Bailey and Council members on the future of Ajax. The Mayor said that she and Bill Ingersoll had met with officials at Chestertown Middle School and Munson earlier in the day to discuss alternatives.
“One of the things we talked about…is looking with new eyes at opportunities and solutions for the town. And we already have two schools in existence that have large amounts of space that many times are more appropriate for certain activities than others,” Bailey said. “So it’s a matter of getting the fit right for the activity.”
“The [school is] amenable to the idea of using the courts…on weekends and holidays with some kind of organization in place that would help monitor and be responsible for the activities that take place around the school,” Bailey said. “And two nights a week starting in November [the school] is open for ‘Adult Drop-In’…and that is something none of us knew about.”
Bailey also said that she would talk to officials at Garnett Elementary to “make some arrangements to open the basketball courts [there] for a couple of nights a week.”
Another possibility Bailey offered was getting a bus to run from Chestertown to the Kent Community Center in Worton starting next year.
“These are all things that will have to be tweaked and worked out, but I think there are great possibilities here,” Bailey said. “[But] one of the things we are going to work on right away is to get the current Ajax court cleaned up and made safer for people to use.”
Munson said his primary goal was getting Ajax cleaned up and not necessarily looking at all the alternatives.
“I was kind of overwhelmed about the new proposals because my focus was solely on Ajax,” Munson said. “I don’t consider the [schools] a community basketball court, we were looking for a community basketball court and Ajax served that purpose…the only thing we wanted to do was refurbish [Ajax] seeing that it is very hazardous right now…I’m in agreement if we want to collaborate with [the schools] and a bus program to run up to the Community Center in Worton–I’m perfectly fine with that, and you have my support, but being from this town…there are not many other places where we can play basketball as of now. One of the hazards we face, because we don’t have a place to play basketball, is that children and young adults are playing basketball in the streets…if you’re familiar with Calvert Street and Lynchburg, you’ll see basketball courts right in the middle of the streets.”
Bailey said she wanted to form a panel to explore recreation opportunities for all age groups in Chestertown, and made note several times throughout the discussion that the small half-court of Ajax may not be suitable for the needs of the community.
In the exchange between Munson and Bailey, Munson continued to push for an expansive vision of Ajax rather than a search for new alternatives.
“At the last Council meeting we had a proposal to expand Ajax, to put bleachers and lights up and make it a grandiose place,” Munson said. “When it comes to cleaning up Ajax, I had some specific things in mind that could make it better, maybe some benches, maybe a water fountain, and an area where the kids can play, and the adults can play at the same time…I don’t think the school meets those needs.”
“But Ajax will meet the needs better, that little space?” Bailey countered. “The idea of putting in bleachers, two half-courts, lights, fences is inappropriate [for that] spot, you’re putting a lot activity and a lot of pressure in a very small space…and I think we can do better for the community.”
Councilman Gibson Anthony was concerned about not taking advantage of the Community Center in Worton.
“Duplication of efforts is my concern,” Gibson said to Munson. “We’ve invested a lot of money in the Community Center, and I think we should take advantage of that, and if we can work to provide transportation it would help you achieve some of your goals.”
Gibson also expressed empathy with Munson on the informality Ajax offers for friends and family to gather and socialize.
“I’m getting a better sense of exactly what you’re asking for tonight because I realize for you that Ajax had a function that just wasn’t about a court, but as an informal gathering place to spend time with friends and play… and it is important that it has proximity.”
Mary Pritchard, owner of Artist’s Row on Cannon Street, thought that she and her husband bought the basketball court when they developed the studios.
“I’m always so curious about the definition of Ajax because my understanding was that my husband and I bought the basketball court,” Pritchard said from the audience. “And the property we bought at 312 Cannon Street [was] bought with the understanding that the basketball court was going to be moved. So we spent a lot of time and money putting in art studios, and I don’t think I ever would have built my studio on the edge of the basketball court thinking it was going to stay there. We have experienced a lot of vandalism and a lot of disturbance with the old basketball court and the current basketball court, and I don’t think it is a good fit with the current situation… I am affected by activities in the area.”
Ingersoll said that the town owned Ajax.
Munson said earlier in the meeting that he had met with Pritchard and other local businesses about refurbishing Ajax and discussed the vandalism in the past.
“I few days ago I met with [local] businesses…that are in the immediate vicinity of Ajax…I’m very sympathetic to the vandalism that was done in the past, and I’m aware it could happen again if a number of crowds show up without supervision.”
thatguy says
I dont think the Mayor understands the reasoning behind wanting to refurbish AJAX. It is not only to use as a basketball court. If it was then people would already be using the better facilities in Worton or at the schools. AJAX provides a close to home informal recreational area for people of the community to enjoy when they get home from school or during the day on a weekend where they can play some sports socialize with friends and be home for dinner in a matter of ten minutes. Her proposal for bussing people from Chestertown to Worton is in my opinion a straight fallacy. The costs involved with that as well as the logistics involved is something she and the town will not even want to invest in and if they do they will soon lose motivation to keep it up. It seems to me as if the Mayor is trying to do everything she can to keep kids out of chestertown so she can keep up the facade of the town.
Keith Thompson says
The conversations I’ve had with the mayor over Ajax seems to indicate to me that she understands the reasons behind wanting to refurbish but those reasons don’t outweigh the past problems of vandalism and other problems at the site.
I love the idea of the rec center in Worton getting used more, but I don’t think it’s Chestertown’s responsibility to provide bus service there.
MBTroup says
I think this seemingly innocuous issue of what to do with a run down half basketball court speaks to the lack of oneness that is needed to move forward with larger ventures:
“And two nights a week starting in November [the school] is open for ‘Adult Drop-In’…and that is something none of us knew about.”
“Bailey said she wanted to form a panel to explore recreation opportunities for all age groups in Chestertown…”
We don’t need to invest in a panel to come up with ideas that would compete against the County Park and Rec (unless I misunderstand the Mayor’s intent). Why not open the Town’s border and partner with the exisitng County P&R? Millington seems to have done it with Rob Vanary Park.
Keith Thompson says
Troup writes…”We don’t need to invest in a panel to come up with ideas that would compete against the County Park and Rec (unless I misunderstand the Mayor’s intent). Why not open the Town’s border and partner with the exisitng County P&R? Millington seems to have done it with Rob Vanary Park.”
Earlier this week when Mayor Bailey was on the air with me, getting Parks & Rec involved was the direction our conversation led to. That makes a lot of sense to me.
Jenn Hicks says
A shameless plug here – we will be discussing this issue at the next Diversity Dialogue group meeting Monday September 12, 6:30 at Bethel Church in Chestertown. John will be there to update the group and discuss further about meeting the recreation needs in the Chestertown community. All are welcome to attend.
MBTroup says
Fix the stream so I don’t slander the Mayor 😉
Keith Thompson says
Jenn, shameless plugs are good.
Billie says
It can be covered with sugar but it still boils down to the fact that the Mayor does not want any kids hanging out downtown. Having been born and raised in this town I can remember when kids were allowed to roller skate downtown, I,myself spent hours doing that, mostly in the Park. When was the last time anyone saw a kid pulling a wagon or kids at the foot of High St. fishing with their Dad? I’ve noticed over the years it seems as though families with kids are being pushed further and further up High St. Seems time to me for the young people to be allowed back downtown and Ajax sounds like the perfect spot. If the Mayor doesn’t want them there then why not put up a really nice basket ball court up in the Park off Rolling Road. If I’m not mistaken, that was the purpose of buying that property all those years ago. Don’t tell me “We don’t have the money”, seems to me there is money for everything else you want to do like buying a marina that we don’t need!!! There is lots of space up there, you could probably even put in a baseball diamond.. Oh, I keep forgetting, us locals that don’t thrive on downtown don’t count anyway. Mr. Munson, you hang in there and I sure hope you get Ajax!!!!!!
Born and Raised Here says
Have to agree with Billie. The only thing that matters to the Mayor and the powers to be are Downtown and the College. Anything that includes locals or the local kids are quickly swept off to the side. I understand that the people who live and have shops down there don’t want the vandalism, but not every kid or group is like that. How hard would it be to clean up the court, put up some new back boards and hoops, a couple of benches for people to sit, a trash can for trash, and see how it goes. The reason kids get in trouble is because there is nowhere for them to go. Besides, if there isn’t enough money to fix up the court, then where is the money to bus the kids to Worton and to open the schools for them to play. It would be nice if the Town put as much energy into helping the locals as they do for catering to anyone with an out of state tag.
The Bridge Troll says
Despite all of Chestertown’s pandering to the college, this town is terrible as far as a college town goes. There is NOTHING for the college kids to do, and worse yet, no place for them to spend their money. Even worse still, there’s no place to get a part time job. I folded clothes at the GAP in college for 11 bucks an hour, and it paid for my beer and books. I was thrilled. It’s too bad that under the blue hair coalition, college kids and local kids don’t matter.
Stellal says
Let the kids have a convenient place to play ball. I mean, are they not the future?