[Mpls] FW: Fort Snelling Athletic Fields

[Dean Carlson]

I agree with the post below.  Most of the Minneapolis' fields for
baseball/softball and soccer are atrocious, especially for younger kids.  In
fact we have our 10 year old son in Richfield baseball, primarily because
the fields are great --  From t-ball to Babe Ruth.

Fort Snelling fields are bar none the best fields in all of south
Minneapolis (which unfortunately means they are about average when compared
to our suburban neighbors).  They are a treasure that should be embraced,
not critiqued.

Dean E. Carlson
Ward 10, East Harriet

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marty Demgen" <marty-guild at qwest.net>
To: <mpls at mnforum.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 5:46 PM
Subject: [Mpls] FW: Fort Snelling Athletic Fields


>
>
> Part I
>
> District #5 Park and Recreation Board Candidate Jason Stone and his
> retainers have, in their apparent campaign against the entire Park Board,
> been bashing the Fort Snelling Fields as part of their critique.  They
refer
> to expense and underutilization.  They imply extravagance and boondoggle.
> As a Minneapolis parent of children in the public schools who participate
in
> athletics through the Park Board, I am mystified by their criticism of one
> of the best things provided these children in my twenty-five years as a
> local resident.
>
> First some facts:
>      *     Park Board sanctioned teams use the facilities free of charge.
> Traveling and non-Mpls. Teams pay usage fees
>      *     Fort Snelling is the home field for Southwest High.
> *         Six of the seven Minneapolis Public High Schools use Park Board
> facilities as their home parks for baseball.  (Only Henry, with huge
support
> from its Legion Program, has a baseball field adjacent to the school.
Some
> teams travel miles to their "home" parks.)
> *         This Park Board assistance to Public School teams extends beyond
> varsity squads to JVs, freshmen and Middle School teams.
>
> Fort Snelling is the best of these Minneapolis Park Board facilities.  I
> have seen Candidate Stone refer to the ballpark as "tournament quality."
I
> can't speak to that but I do know that my kids and their teammates aren't
> going to roll an ankle by stepping in a hole in the outfield at Fort
> Snelling.
>
> Decent field conditions should exist for Minneapolis children.  When my
> daughters play soccer at Fort Snelling, they play on a regular youth sized
> and grass covered field.  When they play at Sibley Park, they play in the
> mud on a field where the underwater portions are cordoned off.  (No
current
> or recent Board member is responsible for the topography of Sibley or most
> of the other parks.  They are what they are and you cope.  But you would
> rather be playing at Fort Snelling.)
>
> Martin Demgen
> Standish-Ericsson
>
>
>
>
>
>
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