Nasser Amani, a member of the Islamic Council of Tehran, in the four hundred and forty-third public session of the council, presented a serious reminder regarding the neglect of the "neighborhood-oriented" approach in urban management, calling for the return of the management of neighborhood-scale sports facilities (grade 3) and especially artificial turf fields to the trustees and local managers.
The Necessity of Returning Turf Fields to the Local Community
Amani, referring to the history of this approach during the third and fourth terms of urban management and the repeated emphasis by the government and the president on solving problems through neighborhoods, stated: "The construction of 500 artificial turf fields in Tehran neighborhoods and the transfer of their management to neighborhood councils and local managers in the past created a lot of vitality and activity in the neighborhoods, and people used them for free. Unfortunately, over time, with changes in management and the dissolution of local institutions, these limited authorities were also revoked."
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Challenges Facing Public Sports
This city council member, recalling the sixth council's resolution regarding the necessity of returning grade 3 sports facilities to neighborhood management, added: "Unfortunately, this resolution has not been implemented, and these facilities, especially artificial turf fields, are being auctioned and handed over to contractors; an act that has practically undermined the philosophy of promoting public sports and easy, cost-free access for citizens."
Amani, referring to the repeated demands of neighborhood trustees during his recent field visits to various areas of Tehran (including District 16 and the Golabdareh neighborhood in District 1), said: "In all meetings with the trustees, the management of neighborhood turf fields is one of the main demands of the people. Some of these fields have even been turned into dirt fields by contractors, or despite the approved pricing by the council, the collection of fees has deprived the underprivileged classes of access."
In conclusion, Amani criticized the contradiction between neighborhood-oriented slogans and the lack of trust in citizens to manage small local affairs, addressing the council president and the cultural and social commission, emphasizing: "We cannot talk about solving problems through neighborhood orientation on one hand and spend huge amounts on conferences and announcements, while not trusting neighborhood trustees to manage a turf field. I urge the cultural and social commission of the council to seriously address this legitimate public demand of citizens."
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