‘It’s not fair’: South Strand parents of children playing sports in community area issued cease and desist from HOA

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WMBF) – Friendly games between kids have turned into ugly fights between adults in one South Strand neighborhood after some kids were ordered to stop playing sports in a grass common area, in the Creekhaven community.

“It makes me extremely angry,” said resident Camila Denshuick.

“This might be it, they sucked at sports when they were kids,” said resident Karl Eversmeyer.

On Tuesday, several parents in the neighborhood said they didn’t understand why others are against their kids playing outside, while supervised in the common area.

“The best way to parent my kids is allowing them to be outside, be healthy, be active and frankly it’s not fair for me or my kids,” said Denshuick.

Parents said when they get off work and their kids are done with school, they usually come together in the grassy part of Creekhaven’s cul-de-sac. Normally the kids play sports like football, basketball and gymnastics.

However, recently some parents received a cease and desist letter in the mail from the homeowner’s association. In the letter it said, the area where families usually hang out is “not for organized sports.”

Denshuick said it is just kids in the community playing, and the kids getting together is not organized.

“This is absolutely not an organized sport. The only thing organized about it is these 5,6,7,8-year-old’s saying, ‘Hey you want to go play football?’ That’s about as organized as it gets,” said Denshuick.

On Monday, crews were seen adding more trees to the common area, a change many parents said they believe is to deter their kids from playing there.

While some in the neighborhood are frustrated, others said they’re relieved something is being done.

“They have a coach, they have whistles, they have tents, they have water and they’ve taken over the circle,” said resident Patti Wolfe.

Wolfe said she’s worried the kids playing could get out of hand because she claims the number of kids in the area keeps getting higher and higher.

“Before you know it the Carolina Panthers will be playing here,” said one neighbor.

“It’s so great to see the kids outside, but these people they push it from 10 to now 30 people, next it will be 40. Then it’ll be more tents, more whistles, I’m worried about what our circle is going to turn into,” said Wolfe.

In the end, neighbors said they just want to come to an agreement, for everyone’s benefit.

“Take a look at the bigger picture. It’s a group of kids playing outside and I think we can all agree as a community that is what we want for our kids,” said Denshuick.

WMBF News talked to a HOA member on the phone, but he said he could not comment.

WMBF News has also reached out to the neighborhood’s management company, Tradd Management.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

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