Springfield bans guns in City Parks

[Guest GhostHunter]

The City of Springfield’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 5-2 last Tuesday in favor of a resolution to keep gun possession illegal in city parks and other similar public areas.

After a short discussion regarding some of the specifics to the resolution, the board restricted the new, expanded use of guns by legal-permit holders granted by the General Assembly.

“No one here in this department is opposed to anybody having the right to carry a weapon,†said Tony Felts, Springfield’s parks and recreation director. “That is a constitutional right.

“But the question is whether it is the safest thing for everybody involved in the city’s parks and ultimately our city leaders decided that.â€

Alderman Jerome Ellis requested the resolution be placed on the board’s agenda.

The passage comes on the heels of a new state law that will take effect on Sept. 1 allowing legal, gun-permit holders to carry firearms into city, county and state-owned public places.

Several other cities in the mid-state area have already passed similar legislation, including Clarksville and Murfreesboro.