Far be it from me to tell anybody what to do or not to do concerning his respective neighborhood.

Highfield area residents, protest if you must. We live in a free society and you have that right.

But, like it or not, the proposed indoor sports complex to be built on 10 acres of land by the Highfield Park baseball fields would be great for Butler.

Yes, a 65-foot tall, inflatable building may be viewed by some folks as unappealing to the landscape of that neighborhood.

But what a place like that could do for the youth of this community — as well as businesses in the immediate area — would more than make up for it.

Baseball, softball, lacrosse, volleyball teams, etc., would have a year-round facility to practice their craft. Tournaments could be held there, AAU events brought in, to generate additional revenue for Butler.

This town lobbied long and hard to host the Pennsylvania State Bowling Association this year. The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau is trying to land the national disc golf championships for Moraine State Park and a 50-mile ultra-marathon is being held there next month.

All of these events bring money into this community.

An indoor sports complex would do more than bring money in. It would keep other money from going out.

Neighboring towns have facilities like this that Butler families use. Matt Clement, who is teaming with area youth baseball coach Daryl Patten on this proposed project, knows all about that.

Clement takes his own son out of town to use indoor baseball facilities because none exists around here. While he and other parents are doing so with their young athletes, they are spending money in those other communities.

Some local families have talented young athletes, but can’t afford to take them elsewhere to develop their skills indoors.

Butler youths deserve the same opportunities and facilities as those from other areas. And this indoor facility would be constructed tax-free.

Clement and Patten are funding this project themselves.

Sure, they hope to make money. Nobody wants to lose money. But money is not the motivation here.

Clement is a former major league pitcher. He and his wife could have raised their family anywhere in the country.

They chose to stay right here.

Clement became the Butler High School boys basketball coach. Trust me, he’s not doing it for the stipend he receives from the school.

He bought a share of ownership in the Butler BlueSox with other citizens who, like himself, didn’t want to see that family entertainment option leave town. What profit that group is making is being poured back into the team, not their own pockets.

Clement and Patten joined forces on this indoor sports facility project because they mutually see a need for it.

They care about their community and want to better it.

Again, protest if you must, but at least give them credit for that.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.