TP BASEBALL ENCOURAGES PARENTS & PLAYERS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD TO PRESERVE THE FUTURE OF BASEBALL AND OTHER SPORTS FACILITIES AT BICKFORD PARK
The Ravens celebrate a great game at the Bickford Park North Diamond.
Important Message to Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball Parents, Players, and Coaches:
First of all I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of you who became involved in Councillor Layton’s Open House regarding Bickford Park, either by stopping by the Bob Abate Centre last Thursday night, contacting the Councillor’s office directly, or contacting both his office and our TP gmail to voice your support for maintaining recreational facilities including the tee ball diamond in Bickford Park.
As those of you who were able to make it to the Bob Abate Community Centre know, and I suspect many others by now, three drawings of Bickford Park were presented at the meeting as possible future designs.
One (Option A) was from our point of view quite unacceptable, as it eliminated the Tee Ball diamond and replaced it with a giant unfenced off-leash area for dogs that would likely impact on every other use of the park (e.g. dogs running through the soccer area and everywhere else, for that matter).
The other drawings (Options B and C) were quite similar and much more reasonable. B showed the Tee Ball and baseball diamonds preserved and moved slightly together with a fenced-in off-leash area for dogs in the northern end of the park. C showed the diamonds slightly closer together with a fenced-in off-leash area for dogs at the southern end of the park.
Both designs would be good for the Tee Ball program because they preserve both diamonds AND they also create a fenced-in area for off-leash dogs as most of the community (including most dog owners) would prefer. However, the concern felt by many is that if a “vote” was ever taken, those who want to preserve tee ball and baseball in the park would split their vote between options B and C because they are so similar There have been some strange results from three-way races in the past!
What I am urging tee ball supporters to do is contact Councillor Mike Layton’s office and voice their support for Options B and C …and their opposition to option A. Here’s Mike Layton’s email address….
There’s still time to get your opinion counted. Councillor Layton’s website (http://mikelayton.ca) has a more complicated process to accommodate input that enables more detailed comments. Please have a look and either take him up on his process or just contact him and voice your support for the Tee Ball program and keeping all sports going in Bickford….by supporting options B and C…and rejecting option A. Please take a moment and make your voice heard!
Thanks,
Steve Smith
Coordinator, Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball