Editorial: Roberto Clemente's dream can build sports cities in every community

Ciudad Deportiva. Sports City.

For Roberto Clemente, the Puerto Rican right fielder who was one of the best players to wear a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, those words were more than just a dream. They were a plan for the future. The Sports City he envisioned was a gift for the children of Carolina, Puerto Rico, a way to build their bodies, hope and joy.

Today, the 304-acre park is nothing like the vision. It is overgrown and underutilized because of a tangled knot of reasons. There is the tug-of-war going on between the Puerto Rican government and the Sports City Inc. organization, helmed by Clemente’s son, Luis. There is the extensive hurricane damage over the years, gutted funding and considerable tax burden.

In essence, the Puerto Rican government has done to Sports City what the federal government often has done to the U.S. territory itself: given it less and expected it to do more. However, that is a problem that the Clemente family, the people of Carolina and the Puerto Rican government need to address.

Here in Pennsylvania, Sports City can be taken as an aspiration and a cautionary tale.

Clemente’s goal was the kind of thing every community should challenge itself to provide for its children. Kids — and adults, for that matter — need a place to prove themselves physically. Pick up that ball. Run that track. Work your legs and your lungs and your back. Clear your mind and set goals. Use this baseball diamond or basketball court or bike path to become the best version of yourself. Be that a world-class athlete or a slightly healthier individual.

But too often, our playgrounds or other recreational facilities become afterthoughts. They can be seen as extras that aren’t necessary. When they aren’t maintained enough to be used, we blame the parks themselves, as though it is their fault they aren’t fulfilling their original vision.

To have prosperous communities and healthy children, we need thriving places for kids and families to congregate, play and exercise. We need to encourage public and nonprofit partnership to make this happen, which is what most of our successful recreation opportunities utilize.

But more than anything, we have to recognize these facilities as valuable priorities and not some extra we add on when we remember it.

Clemente’s example was an understanding. He saw how sports built his opportunities. He believed in it as an opportunity for others. And it can be, but you can’t build a Sports City — or any community — without consistency and commitment.