Residents Fight for Community Center

ROBINSONVILLE, Miss. - Deep in the heart of Tunica County you'll see lots of open land. But it's one plot in particular some residents want the county to develop into a community recreation center for Robinsonville area residents.

Barbara Tuchel is part of a concerned group of citizens who want the county to make good on their promise to turn this open piece of county-owned land into a state of the art million dollar facility for the estimated 600 kids who live in the area.

"They have no service up here for the children," Tuchel says. "We need a community center here that will service not only those children but the high school, middle school children and the senior citizens."

They say while the county has several other community recreational centers, including a multi-million dollar facility further South off Highway 61; facilities too far away for Robinsonville residents.

Tuchel says, "Our children need somewhere to go if we're going to enhance our educational process."

Larry Liddell, spokesman for the county, says there is and always has been a plan to develop a community center for Robinsonville area residents, but with the economic downturn over the last 12 months that plan has been put on hold.

Liddell says, "The need is there, I don't think anybody denies that, it's just the money's not there right now."

And while it won't be known if the cash will be in the 2010 budget until August, the county contends they still plan on building the center.

Good news for those in and around Robinsonville, who right now have little else to do but play in a parking lot.