One of those 3 60×90 fields is a mess. Lower Hawes barely fits 90 foot baselines. First and third are at the edge of the infield. I think the RBSA has proposed addressing this field but have been turned down by the BOE and the neighborhood. The Somerville field is in good shape and functional but is also a full dirt infield, not the best for ‘true’ baseball. The primary field at Vets was in rough shape at the end of the high school season. Too many teams playing too many games on that field.
.
I’m a broken record — let’s thank the Willard school district for all of this. They helped pass the vote for getting their school extended while including the field changes at the high school and BF (removing a 60×90 and a softball field). We can go back further to who proposed putting into that vote the field changes and Willard changes. Can’t continue to post-blame at this point.
.
Let’s look at what’s needed to support the needs of youth sports in town. If soccer, baseball, softball, lax and other field sports can use the field, why is that such a bad thing? I believe (and could be wrong) that there was a review of the field usage and needs in town and we came up short. Schedler will help alleviate these needs.
If you peel the onion back…this is all about having Showcase facilities.
This is yet another land grab by the Recreation folks.
Believe it or not, many residents could not care less about “youth sports” and DEEPLY resent being expected to subsidize all this.
Lower Hawes is not a BOED field it belong to the Village. The Board of Ed has backed the RBSA in trying to make that field a 60×90 but was turned down by the Villages precious council with the backing of the neighbors. Don’t despair that will be the next land grab by the RBSA and this Council. Just have to clearcut a few trees and it will work.
11:36, you are so right. The arrogance of the sports people who think that sports is the only way your children can have a fulfilling life.
Agree @ 11:36. I have young children but am much more concerned that there are 24 kids in each class and no place to park at school vs. field space. .
This is a village with more than just sports teams, this is not the Superdome
Do it fer da kidz
I shot some baskets with my son last night at Hawes. Then I took a walk down to the 60×90 field.
The field is fine. The beginning of the outfield grass is normal just like what you would see at Citifield or YS.
So another small white lie by the RBA/Rec Committee fathers.
Lots of water discarded bottles by both benches..but that’s a different issue.
“Lots of discarded water bottles…,” They are all guilty of this. The question is “WHY.” This is part of the responsibility of coaches at the end of a practice or game. What don’t they get ?
Has anyone checked the traffic on West Saddle River Road, esp. when RT 17N is congested which is almost a daily ritual? As planned, the entrance/exit to parking is right where traffic comes off of Rt 17N and it comes off very rapidly. Also, West Saddle is too narrow to be striped and even with parking restricted to one side of the road cars going in opposite directions cannot pass w/o waiting for one to go first. This arrangement will lead to both accidents and damaged rear view mirrors. The plan for the field would have to be reversed with the plan for parking for safety reasons. This would place the field even closer to the highway than it is currently shown. A very expensive fence would also need to be constructed as the whole plot is open to Rt. 17 except for a low fence near the narrow end.
Will there be a formal traffic study? How could there not be?
5:38, they are doing the traffic study in August, when many are away and schools are not in session. The results will therefore be completely unreliable, but the results will show what the powers that be want, namely that traffic flow is low. They are such a devious dishonest bunch. It is sickening.
Per the NJDOT, exit and traffic counts. East Glen Avenue from RT 17N, peak volume 100 vehicles per hour, peak time 17:30. Sheridan Avenue from RT 17N, peak volume 144 vehicles per hour, peak time 17:15. Northbound Route 17 peak traffic volume 4,571 per hour, peak time 16:30. Peak volume and time are all at after school hours.