26 November 2007

Extra Innings for Boro Bombers

Two months ago the Hillsborough Township Committee rescinded its initial approval for the construction of a youth baseball field near Surrey Drive. This was undoubtedly the right call - what initially looked like a win-win for the township and the kids, would have been a big mistake. The Surrey Drive field has problems with parking, emergency access, and restroom facilities - it just isn't suitable for organized sports.

In a previous blog entry, I suggested another possible home for the nine-year-olds known as the Boro Bombers. Now the Township Committee has come up with their alternative: a 20 acre parcel adjacent to the Hillsborough Promenade. That's fine with me. My suggestion was only to show that there were other sites available - that the town didn't have to be locked into its first choice.

Residents will get their chance to speak out about this new proposal at the next Township Committee meeting. I expect there to be valid objections to this proposal also - but probably not enough to kill it.

The important thing to remember about small parcels like this that are donated for open space is that if they are not put to use, they become eyesores. Large contiguous tracts are different - they can provide greenways, or scenic vistas, that add to the beauty of our town. There is nothing scenic about overgrown weed-fields.

When the Boro Bombers step up to the plate next month to take another crack at the Township Committee, they are sure to be swinging for the fences. This time, it looks like a home run.

3 comments:

  1. Just FYI, Greg - that parcel may be perfectly suited for a baseball field, but you should know that it was originally conceived with the possibility of housing some kind of cultural facility. Check old minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Val - first of all I can't believe the nightowl is posting to my blog at 6pm!

    Secondly - some kind of cultural facility would be a good use too - maybe even a better one. I must admit that I am not very well informed about the permitted uses for land that is donated like this. The newspaper article said the parcel was donated for "parks and rec", and while that may not be strictly true, it may also not be true that this property was restricted to a "cultural facility".

    All of which is to say that common sense should, in many cases, dictate these uses. (we know it often doesn't!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi - this time better for you? BTW, it's BIRD - NiteBIRD!

    I didn't say "restricted" to a cultural use - it was just originally touted as having the potential to be used this way, and the HCAC was considering this site. I think when I first joined it, but before I chaired it. Not really sure.

    See my comment under today's Courier article. I think the site is actually better suited for ball fields ... but maybe I'll comment more when I'm more awake.

    ReplyDelete