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Park board lays down law on sports fields
(by Joan Demirjian - August 13, 2009)
Park board lays down law on sports fields
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
The Bainbridge park board is taking steps to develop a policy for use of playing fields at township parks. It is a "starting point," according to park board members, who have been seeking solutions to overused fields and increasing costs to maintain them.
The park board is setting forth recommendations in which the responsibilities for the fields would be handed over to the sports groups that use the fields. Each sports group would create a management group to oversee the use and scheduling of fields. They represent a variety of sports, including lacrosse, soccer, softball and baseball.
"If the groups want to use the fields, this is the way it is going to be," David Jones, a member of the Bainbridge park board, said in a presentation in May to representatives of the sports groups. The goal is to be fair and equitable to all the sports groups, he said.
The park board is responding, in part, to complaints about overuse of the fields, said Martin Sfiligoj, chairman of the park board.
They are becoming dangerous for use because of their condition, including potholes, the park board said.
It is not just one sport using a field in the same day; it can be three different sports, one after another, Mr. Jones said.
Kenston Community Education also uses the fields for its programs. However, no representatives of the organization were present at last week's meeting. The organization was invited, "and we were surprised a KCE representative did not show up," Mr. Jones said.
The township is providing fields not only for its residents but for Auburn Township as well, Mr. Jones said. About 60 percent of the users are from Bainbridge and the rest are from Auburn, he said. "And Auburn is providing zero fields."
The plan the park board came up with is to allocate fields to specific sports. "We're saying, 'Here's your fields, you manage them,'" park board member Henri Preuss said. "It's not going to happen unless we all come together," he said.
"We have to do the best for the kids, so they can play safely and have a good time at it," Mr. Preuss said.
The township will fertilize and mow the fields, but everything else will be done by the sports groups, including marking lanes and making improvements, Mr. Jones said. Township Trustees approved the procedures in 2004, but somehow the township ended up doing everything, he said.
The sports management groups will do their own maintenance, scheduling and charging of fees. "We're trying to give everyone an equal start," he said. Each sports group will have two fields.
Current rental fees are $16 per hour, in contrast to the $40 to $60 per hour charged in neighboring communities, where they are supported by levies.
"People think they can pay $16 and walk away," he said of responsibilities for maintaining fields. "It's not going to happen," Mr. Jones said.
The sports groups will be in charge of setting a cost per hour for use of the fields, which is paid by individual teams.
Because of the low rental cost of the Bainbridge fields, some nonresident teams have been signing up for them, using residents' names. The new township rules require that teams be comprised of 80 percent Bainbridge and Auburn residents, Mr. Jones said.
To protect fields, the township may limit sessions and close the fields for the season, thereby closing them to practices.
Fields will be available for recreational use by residents, so sports team use will be limited to 35 hours per week, Mr. Jones said.
All the sports committees will agree to a penalty structure for noncompliance with the rules.
"I think we can make it work for the enjoyment of the kids," Mr. Preuss said. They will keep working on the ideas, "so we end up with something everyone is happy with," he said.
The park board will be presenting the proposed policies to Township Trustees again as well as to the sports groups, Mr. Jones said.
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