Sports

Baldwin Boro Manager Calls Soccer Group's Petition 'Unfounded'

The Baldwin Whitehall Soccer Association claims that use of Colewood Park fields is 'excessive.'

A petition started by the Baldwin Whitehall Soccer Association (BWSA) might go for naught, as Baldwin Borough Manager John Barrett has called the association's concerns "unfounded."

The association has expressed to the Baldwin Council that it is allowing "excessive" use of south Baldwin's Colewood Park fields. The petition states that borough officials granted permission for lacrosse activity on the fields even after the BWSA invested $20,000 in field repairs.

"BWSA has invested heavily in time/volunteers and money to improve the fields at Colewood," the petition states on Change.org. "BWSA has decided to limit our use of the fields to allow them to grow and establish. Yet, the borough has issued a permit (for lacrosse)."

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Barrett maintains, though, that the BWSA never should have conducted repairs at Colewood Park, which is a public facility.

"The borough will continue to permit to both organizations," Barrett said in an email interview, "and will ask that BWSA, along with any other association or private resident, not coordinate any future maintenance on borough-owned fields without notice and approval.

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"The work that BWSA coordinated was not done through the borough, and that needs to be avoided in the future."

As for any overuse of the fields, Barrett said, "I have inspected all of the field concerns that the petition referenced and found them to be unfounded. Lacrosse has 12 kids that practice two hours per day, only on weekdays, on that field."

Meantime, the petition—now with over 200 signatures—remains live on Change.org, with its most recent signature coming earlier this week.

"All teams who use the fields should be responsible for maintenance costs or pay to rent the fields," Jennifer Bonneau writes.

Writes Gary Smarsh, "I understand that it is a borough park. But, respect whomever pays for improvements."

Writes Diane Santilla, "The fields need to be preserved and treated properly by all who use them."

Read more comments here.

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