06-25-87 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MEMO TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSIONERS FROM: MARY SAARION, DIRECTOR PARKS, RECREATION AND FORESTRY DATE: JUNE 4, 1987 RE: CLARIFICATION OF FIELD USE POLICY I would like to offer some information to further explain the situation as described by Mr. Kops letter concerning use of the Oakwood ballfield. The Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department currently administers the reservation of fields for practice use. The policy currently states that any city league team, Mounds View Athletic Association team or City resident may reserve a field. Fields can be reserved one week in advance and a maximum of two practices per week for 1- 1/2 hours each is allowed. The process of reserving a field is simply to call in the request and pick up the permit notice beforepractice. the p ac ice. The purpose of permits is to discourage duplicate usage and to guarantee a field so that teams can plan a practice ahead of time and be guaranteed of that practice time and space. Permits are a convenience, but permits are certainly not required for use of fields by teams or residents. A field unused is open for anyone to use. The department cannot monitor the use of fields at all times. The incident that Mr. Kops refers to in his letter is regarding a 5-6th grade baseball team coached by Mr. Keith King. Mr. King called and reserved Oakwood field for a practice. The next day Mr. King called and talked to Administrative Assistant Sharie Linke explaining that Mr. Kops came down to the field and said they could not practice there and should leave. The incident began with a right field foul ball which was hit into Mr. Kops ' backyard. Mr. Kops called the office and first talked to Administrative Assistant Linke. He called later and talked to me demanding that I tell teams that they cannot play at Oakwood Park field. It is at this time that I told Mr. Kops that I did not feel authorized to discriminate usage of fields and felt that the Council and Commission may wish to explore a field usage • policy. This summer, 65 adult teams, 18 youth teams, 11 MVAA teams, a North Suburban Church League and Mounds View Jaycees League use the City fields for practices and games. This excludes the neighborhood "pick up" games. This is a total of approximately 98 organized teams requesting use of approximately 13 - 16 fields within the City (some fields overlap and therefore only one field can be played on at a time, i.e. Edgewood baseball field overlaps Edgewood 412 softball field. ) This year the additional loss of the two Red Oak fields is being experienced. Needless to say, the fields are getting heavy use of which they are intended. 411