This really is an excellent and timely post. This coming Spring we are putting our son (who soon will be 7) into a baseball league in Richfield. Our son is really a baseball fanatic and loves to play, but the experiences we've had at the Mpls Parks the past two summers have been less than ideal (even if it was only for 5 and 6 year old T-ball leagues). Couple that with the stories we've heard about City facilities, it wasn't as hard decision as I thought it would be.
Now I don't expect my son to be the next Joe Mauer, but being the pushy 21st Century parent that I am, I also want to provide my kids with the best experience I can, as long as I can afford it. Fortunately Richfield provides this to us and its not that far away from my home. Furthermore, there are a lot of other kids from SW Mpls who are in the league as well. When I see a committment to quality youth recreational facilities in the City, we'll probably be back, but until then it's off to Richfield. Dean E. Carlson East Harriet, Ward 10 (Where Lyndale Farmstead Park provides a home run fence in right field, it's just the PB's southside maintenance shops -- good luck getting the ball back!!) [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Greetings to all my fellow neighbors! > > This is my first post and I am so glad I found the forum! > > I would like to speak on a number of issues regarding youth, education, and sports. > > I have read the threads over the past few months regarding the Park Board wanting to >study, based on the idea of the Mayor, the creation of more trails and facilities for >skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc. > > I believe that we, the city, should be sensitive to the needs of our youth and >adults to provide adaquate facilities to excercise and to just have fun! > > What I find strange is how we seem to have an X-game mentality to our thinking. > > I would challenge anyone to find, in the city of Minneaoplis a baseball field for >younger kids (60-75 foot bases) that has a grass infield, dugouts, a mound, >homeplates that are straight, AND fences to hit home runs over. > > I do know that there is a wonderful complex of fields for both baseball, softball, >soccer, and football that are being completed on the Fort Snelling site. I am very, >very happy to see that! However, the Fort Snelling site is no better than a Parade >Stadium - in other words, not enough. > > If we are going to be putting forth the effort to create alternative/silent sport >facilities could we also start to create other venues for our kids that will make >them feel proud to play in the city? > > My sons play for one of the only travelling baseball leagues in Minneapolis. We >have our share of home games. The teams that come in from the suburbs hate to play >on our fields - no mounds, outfields that have more dirt, rocks and weeds than grass. > We are not even allowed to drag a field if it has rained because of Park Board >rules. > > Our kids are just as good as any kid from the burbs. Do they not deserve the best >from us? > > If we are going to build beautiful new facilities for the silent sports and not >address all the venues then lets just let them skateboard on the sidewalks and make a >few wooden ramps. > > Rick Kuhlmann > Hale-Page-Diamond Lake _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
