'We have zero gym space right now'

The issue of a lack of available public gym space is not a new one for residents of Daniel Island interested in recreation. In fact, communities near and far experience the same types of restraints, as noted by City of Charleston Recreation Director Laurie Yarbrough in a 2012 article on the subject in The Daniel Island News.

Several local residents made reference to the space squeeze at a recent meeting of the Daniel Island Neighborhood Association on August 28. For many citizens, the proposed Daniel Island Community Recreation Center, set to break ground later this month, can’t come soon enough.

“We have zero gym space, right now,” said one resident at the meeting.

Many contend that the continued growth of the island has made it increasingly difficult to find space for programs. There is also an agreement in place between the Berkeley County School District and the City of Charleston that allows the Daniel Island School to utilize the City-owned Freedom Park amenity behind the facility in exchange for the school providing 500 hours of gym time to the City’s recreation department each year. The agreement dates back to 2004, before the school was built.

While helpful in many ways, the agreement has not been without its challenges. This will be the first year that some Daniel Island School students will have to try out for the Trident Basketball Association on outdoor basketball courts, as opposed to the indoor courts where games are played - largely due to the fact that the City’s recreation department needs time in the gym for its youth volleyball program. A lack of space for DIS kids to practice basketball has left them at a disadvantage, some parents say.

“They go up against these others teams that are practicing on their home courts, inside, and we’re practicing outdoors,” said island resident Kevin Brookes, athletic director of the Daniel Island School basketball program for the Trident Basketball Association. “We don’t even really have a home court advantage.”

Basketball season runs through the winter, so coaches have had to get creative.

“We’ve gone off island to places like Crossfit and paid for extra gym time,” said Brookes.

The City of Charleston regularly uses all of its 500 hours at DIS, according to Yarbrough. The majority of the 500 hours are scheduled out December, January, and February because those are the months the City runs youth basketball, she said.

“The City of Charleston Department of Recreation has the ability to use that school for 500 hours after the school’s use, and we do coordinate with the principal of the school,” added Yarbrough. “This is not in an isolated bubble. We don’t just pick times and randomly use them. We coordinate that very carefully.”

The trouble that parents are running into with the arrangement is that it can leave kids that do not participate in the Charleston rec league, like students in the Trident League, without a place to regularly practice.

Daniel Island School Principal Kori Brown said that they try to accommodate all requests for their gymnasium, but some are scheduled far in advance.

“We are supportive of all students who play on sports teams and we recognize them at our school,” said Brown. “We celebrate and recognize all children who participate in sports in and outside of Berkeley County School District.”

Brookes made a point to say that no one is really at fault for the issue of population density.

“It would be great to get Berkeley County schools, the City of Charleston, the Daniel Island Rec Department to work together to figure out a way to have that gym open more,” he said.

All parents interviewed showed hope that the new rec center will alleviate these problems.

“The new gym, when opened, we are going to lobby to have it open seven days a week,” said City of Charleston Councilman Gary White in response to concerns expressed at last month’s DINA meeting. “[Laurie] is committed to working with Trident [League] to help you all get the programming you need.”