Establishing park system helps determine responsibility

Cornell is home to what many feel is one of the best parks around, with softball and baseball fields at Mill Yard, next to the Chippewa River, as well as a covered pavilion nearby. But who maintains the grounds and how does one sign up to use them?

That’s the question that many involved in the park would like to see answered, as there is no real system in place. Ashley Carothers, “field mom,” and Parks and Recreation chairman, says it would be nice to have one place where people could sign up to use the field.

“What I’d like to see happen, is for us to establish a system,” said Carothers.

Since it would cost about $20,000 to start an actual parks and rec system, with a paid position for the one in charge of records, Carothers understands it may not be feasible in the city’s budget to hire someone. Therefore, the scheduling would be on a volunteer basis from someone who would carry through with it.

“I’m open to any suggestions,” said Carothers.

The system would encompass the Mill Yard Park ballfi elds, playgrounds and rental of the pavilion, but would be more focused on the baseball and softball fields. Carothers also wants to see the money collected from each league in one large pot.

“Generally, it’s just been, each league does their own and is responsible for their own, and the city maintains the fields,” said Carothers. “But, it becoming apparent to me, that there are issues with who uses the field…I don’t want a ‘dibs’ system anymore.”

If the fees from each league were in one pot, then teams could petition for funds to purchase equipment, although Carothers says that is something that would have to be finetuned. For now, she wants to start with the field booking system.

“Speaking as somebody who has run a lot of programs, it is difficult for one person…we’re run ragged 90 percent of the time,” agreed Nicole Schwingle, who has led many youth teams over the years.

Schwingle said it would be great to have one spot where someone could find out who to contact and where to sign up for teams, leagues and games.

Carothers pointed out that the Mill Yard needs a new baseball fence and that the city has to have funds to maintain the field. While money is set aside each year in the city’s budget, Carothers said they can only do little projects at a time.

“What if one of the coolers go down?” she said. “Who’s responsible to pay for it?”

It was also agreed that those who reserve the field, are responsible for picking up after games and practice, and that they should not leave garbage, especially as it draws animals, as well as creating more work for city employees who have to clean the field. With rules in place and a Google calendar link that could be placed on the city’s website, Carothers said the system is a work in progress.

“We have a really good problem in this town right now,” said Schwingle. “We have so many kids that want to play ball and we have not enough fields.”