EDITOR,
I am writing this letter to The Chief, DOS Parks and Rec and to Mayor Gardner. During the months of August, our fields at Brennan Park are closed so the turf can thicken up so it will be strong, healthy and safe for play for the upcoming soccer season come September. I must say that the fields are in outstanding shape for the season - that is, until it rains.
When the fields are wet, they are closed for the 11 to 18 year olds, men's and women's leagues because they are bigger than the young five to 10 year olds and will do more damage to the fields and make the fields unsafe. That I agree with, but if the condition of the fields is so paramount, why is it that DOS can't put sand in the mud holes in the goal net areas (that would help field conditions) and why can't DOS go around the fields and drop some sand in the big gouges left by the players. Why can't DOS blow leaves off the fields where the little kids play, thus making for better playing conditions.
When the fields are closed for the older kids and adults, we are sent over to the "no weather" fields. So why can't DOS use the "big mound" of coarse sand that sits directly behind a huge lake behind the west net on Field B and fill it in, because every shot that misses the net ends up there and we have to find a stick to reach the ball or wade in up past our ankles to retrieve the ball.
Also, why can't DOS fill in the big puddles in the no-weather fields parking lot with the mound of coarse sand available or use the pile of crush that sits on the west end of said parking lot? It won't cost any money because the material is there already. It will cost labour, but staff works in the winter and it would be a good winter project, one which would benefit the community.
There are 900 youth playing soccer in Squamish, not to mention a men's league, two women's teams and a premier men's team. Travel teams from Vancouver come up here to play our Rep teams, women's teams and Squamish FC. That, I believe, would be classified as "tourism."
We spend plenty of tax dollars on liming, fertilizing, irrigating [a new system this year], mowing and wages for field maintenance; let's go the extra mile and make the whole complex the showcase for Squamish that it was intended to be.
There are times when we feel that we are supporting the DOS instead of the other way around. Dave DuddyGaribaldi Highlands
