Editor, The News:
Re: Selvey and Ruskin parks need some attention (Letters, May 11).
First of all, I would like to thank Sandy Mcdougall for mentioning that Selvey and Ruskin parks are in need of some attention.
It is nice to see someone other than from my league take notice of this.
Ruskin Slo Pitch has been using these fields since I joined the league 22 years ago. There has been some improvements to the infields, but very little done to the outfields since.
We are looked at as a bunch of adults out for an afternoon of ball. This is not entirely true.
I would like to let everyone know that I run a 30-team, three-division league with approximately 450 members. I have a 10-team waiting list for teams wanting to join every year.
We play six days a week on the average of three to four games per night.
We also produce teams that play at the provincial and national levels.
We have also had teams win at those levels.
We continue to play on these subpar fields as these fields are our only option.
If we decide not to use these fields, then there is nothing else available for us to use.
In past years, I have seen three synthetic fields built in our community, but yet nothing has been done to our ball fields.
Don’t get me wrong, as parks and recreation is now working with us for the last month of our season and moved us down to Thomas Haney and Telosky Stadium when the other baseball leagues are no longer using those fields.
It is also trying to help improve the field conditions at one of the Ruskin fields.
But this is a long and slow process and parks and rec continues to tell me it is on a limited budget.
We are now being presented with a possible per-head user fee, which could substantially increase our league fees, and we still get to play on the subpar fields.
I agree with Mr. Macdougall, that it is time that council realizes that there are other fields outside of the downtown core that do get used quite frequently and do need the attention.
Until then, we will continue using these subpar fields as they are the only fields available to us and we do not want to give up our sport.
Darren Gosselin, president
Ruskin Slo Pitch Association