HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – At latest Hopkinsville City Council meeting, Councilmember Brandi Stallons initiated discussion about the condition of the playground at DeBow Recreation Complex, saying that is has noticeably been lacking maintenance lately.

Unlike the newer playgrounds in the city, the play structure at DeBow is mostly constructed out of wood, with several unique elements that reflect Hopkinsville such as a clock tower, wooden storefronts and a 101st Airborne rock wall. The entire recreation complex spans over 20 acres with soccer fields, a disc golf course and pavilion.

Weathered wooden railing with vertical name-engraved slats overlooking a green lawn; gravel underfoot in foreground.
Playground structure with purple trim and a 'Parental Supervision Required' sign; slide and wooden bridge visible on a sunny day.
Wall mural with a white eagle shield and a yellow 'AIRBORNE' banner on a stone background, plus blue climbing holds.
Beige stone park sign with a large chalkboard panel covered in graffiti, set on a grassy field.

Hopkinsville resident Russell Edwards recently shared several photos of the park’s conditions on social media, which show holes in the fence, broken wooded boards, warped slides and damage to signs.

“I grew up going to DeBow back when it was baseball fields, so seeing it in the condition it’s in now hit different,” Edwards told Christian County Now. “This isn’t about blaming anybody. I just want our kids to have a clean, safe park they can enjoy, just like we had growing up. DeBow has too much history and too much potential to be overlooked.”

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Response from city about repairs

At the June 7 meeting, Stallons asked Mayor James R. Knight if there were plans to fund repairs at the park like the slide and the dilapidated wooden boards after she was relayed concerns from community members. She said, “My kids love that park, and of course they love the new one too…but we would love to see the other ones also maintained and kept because that has always been a super nice park.”

Knight confirmed that they are aware of the issues. Staff with Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation started maintenance at DeBow in spring and did change several of the wooden boards at the time. However, the department is further evaluating additional repairs and cost.

City Administrator Troy Body clarified that they also have to determine whether or not to utilize synthetic boards during the process. Body joined parks and recreation to evaluate the playground and agrees that repairs are needed.

Additionally, repairs and a new mural may be coming to the playground at Trail of Tears Commemorative Park as well due to issues with equipment, according to Knight.

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