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0 interoffice <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> to: Parks and Recreation Commissioners <br /> from: Mary Saarion <br /> subject: Consideration of Park Projects <br /> date: February 18, 1998 <br /> There are a few park improvement projects that I believe are necessary and wish to bring them to <br /> your attention for consideration. One is the need for additional netting at Greenfield Park baseball <br /> field. The Commission witnessed this need last summer as we met and saw the many foul tipped <br /> balls that went into the park, one hitting Councilmember Gunn's car denting it. There is a need to <br /> extend netting across the homeplate area which would catch a number of balls that are foul tipped <br /> straight up and over. This would also take away the homeplate foul plays. As was suggested last <br /> year, I requested the Baseball Association to contribute money for the netting. They discussed <br /> this with their Board Members. It was their conclusion that the City should provide whatever is <br /> necessary for the field since it is a park field, and they are park users. They said that they did not <br /> have money for such expenses. They do not have a capital expense fund for field improvements <br /> like Little Lakes Little League has. <br /> There are options that the Commission should discuss. One is that the City pay for the netting <br /> 0 <br /> improvements with Parks Improvement Funds. Costs would be from $1,600 - $9,000 depending <br /> upon the extent of additional netting. Another option would be to change the field into a softball <br /> field which would greatly reduce the number and type of foul balls and related damages, and <br /> would provide an excellent field for girls fastpitch and adult softball leagues. However, taking <br /> away the field for older baseball leagues including Babe Ruth would put these leagues in a pinch <br /> since there are few"big fields" for this age group in the school district. The only other are school <br /> baseball fields one at Irondale and one at Mounds View High School,,one at Edgewood and one <br /> at McCullam Park in Shoreview. <br /> Liability is a problem for the City with the current status of the field proximity to homes and the <br /> older baseball users of this field. The adjacent properties are too close and baseball at that level <br /> results in too many foul balls. Options seem to be either additional netting or change in field use, <br /> (users) . Staff requests Commission's direction in this matter. <br /> • <br />