Ballfield

Jeff Green | Aug 02, 2007

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About that ballfield

Editorial by Jeff Green

Does anybody remember that the bleachers at the ball field in Sharbot Lake are about to fall down?

It was identified as a problem in May, when the Mites’ coach complained she couldn’t risk bringing little kids to the field for fear they might get injured on the benches.

In fact over the past few years, public money has been raised on at least two occasions to go towards improving the park. Council has been very good at delineating why it is that volunteers should not be taking the final step of actually doing the work they have raised money for, but abysmal at actually getting anything done.

In June, staff recommended that bleachers be purchased, but council balked at that, saying that the portable bleachers might run the risk of being stolen. At least one councillor also didn’t like the idea that the issue had been raised in the newspaper rather than at the council table.

We are now in the dog days of summer, and even if work is done on the benches and bleachers it will be too late for the ball season this year.

As Chicago Cubs fans have been saying for 100 years now, ever since the team last won the World Series in 1908, “just wait ‘til next year.” J.G.