Where can a boy climb a tree in Newport Kentucky?

In our urban neighborhood, there are very small yards. Many homes have no yard.

We have a lot of young couples who moved here and are now starting families. Some move away to the suburbs when the baby comes. More are beginning to stay and raise their families in the city.

Luckily for us, there are a couple of small parks nearby. There's a nice fenced playground next to the Montessori school down the street. It's good for little ones, but no dogs allowed and no balls allowed.

So where can the older children play?

There's an open grassy field next to the highway at the end of our street. It has become the unofficial "dog park" for the many dog owners in the neighborhood. The city has added benches and trash cans and planted some trees. It's perfect for the dogs to run and chase a stick or ball. The older children can kick a soccer ball here - if there aren't too many landmines. Most dog owners seem conscientious about that and pick up.

There are some trees along the edge of this park that my sons have taken for their own. They love to play and then stop and rest - up in a tree. When my son is sitting up there, in the branches, he is calm and peaceful - drawing energy from the living structure that suspends him above the ground.

These trees are the perfect size for climbing. Not too tall, but big enough to withstand the rigors of a boy's climb and weight. The leaves are dense - just enough for a boy to hide, but still be able to survey his kingdom.

The state wants to take out this dog park and all the trees that go with it and build a new exit ramp to accomodate the new high rise buildings going up along the river.

While I understand that we must find a way to accomodate the traffic that "progress" brings, I ask: If we take this space away, where can a boy climb a tree in Newport?