The Ecke Sports Park fields would be impossible for ELL to replace. The lighted fields are a positive gathering spot for families and the community — come by any Saturday in spring to see four games in progress, a line at the snack bar and kids in dirty uniforms enjoying the day outside. Ecke Sports Park itself is a huge part of ELL’s baseball success and ELL has done its’ share — using its’ own fundraising money to install in 2011 additional safety netting on fields 2 and 3 (cost $8,360.00), an artificial turf infield on field 2 in 2012 (cost $20,000.00) and a batting cage renovation in 2014 (cost to ELL $17,000.00 not including $13,000 in donated turf.) ELL has invested over $45,000.00 in the Ecke Sports Park since 2010, all made in reasonable reliance that ELL would have full access to the facility through 2024. The new Encinitas Community Park (ECP) is wonderful — but was not intended as a full time sports park and is not close to a comparable facility, with its lack of lights, only 2 unfenced baseball fields (with no infield turf) and no batting cages.The League is offering to surrender one of the four fields for the YMCA to expand parking. They can manage with the other three fields by shifting some older kids' games to the new Encinitas Community Park. This solution would seem to be a reasonable way out for the League and the YMCA -- and for the re-election hopes of the four council members who approved the giveaway of the fields. But apparently the YMCA is insistent about its development plans; otherwise, this whole thing would have been settled months ago.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Little League proposes compromise with YMCA over Ecke fields giveaway
From the President of Encinitas Little League:
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What about 90 foot lights at night at the new Park? Is that part of the deal?
ReplyDeleteSo basically everybody loses. The community park is not a community park because it has sports fields. The community park is not a regional sports complex because its fields are not up to snuff, and would require additional investment to make them so. The only people who are happy with this park aren't even people - they're dogs!!! Who the frick cares about 90' lights at this point? Meanwhile, the YMCA has exhibited particularly bad form in the way they're treating a long term tenant. I'm sure many of the little leaguers also use other facilities at the Y. Do they really think that their future revenues do not include little league? What's the solution? Rooftop baseball fields built on top of whatever they're building? This just can't be the whole story..........
ReplyDelete- The Sculpin
Indeed sculpin, there is a lot missing from why this situation came about and why now. Does the YMCA really need another parking lot to justify doing away with one of the baseball fields? Just who specifically is pushing this action? Does the E3 group have an opinion on this move? Is this just the beginning of removing any of the other remaining ball fields? It is about time to have someone tell this community why this has come to fruition and why now. This community treasure deserves better managing for all it brings to this community. I fear this is only the beginning of the end if even one ball field is allowed to be replaced by a parking lot that they have done well enough without until now. Something stinks in Mudville recently. Look it up for the reference if you don't know it.
ReplyDeleteEverybody is walking and biking now instead of driving, so why does the YMCA need another parking lot?
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be a lot of mystery around this. Hopefully, things will become more clear as time goes on.
ReplyDeleteAsk Sabine - he is the one with all the "institutional" knowledge.
DeleteThis was Vina's goodbye gift to the council and the city for giving him the shaft.
DeleteVina left the City with many turds. What a loser. The latest is $13 million DEBT for a lifeguard tower and a $4 million piece property.
ReplyDeleteVote out the incumbent City Council that supported this turd.
How generous of ELL to offer up a minor baseball field but critically important soccer field. How much fall ELL baseball was played on field 1? None. The fall sports need the lighted field.
ReplyDelete