Children kept out of Watkins library

Councilman Ludye Wallace is asking for $100,000 of the Mayor's capital spending package to expand a small, cramped library at Watkins Park in North Nashville where children are routinely turned away because it can only serve five children at a time.

"I just can't see how [it is] a priority to spend $500,000 on the merry-go-round to just move it, and it's not a priority for these young people to have a better opportunity to use the library," Wallace said of Metro's plans to move the carousel from Riverfront Park to another location where more children will be able to use it.

Hattie McGee, Watkins Park's librarian, explained she often has to tell children they are not able to use the library until there is an open area.

"At first I am a teacher