Dear Menlo Park City Council Members,
I understand the City Council is discussing goal setting for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. While there are many priorities the City can and should focus on, I believe one should be increasing the quality, availability and organization of field space for youth sports activities. Not the least of which is that field space should be required as part of re-development of the 60 acre SRI campus.
The effects of COVID have amplified (i) the effects of poverty, (ii) the mental health crisis and (iii) declines in school attendance in our young people. The research shows that a strong anecdote to these issues is providing youth with positive youth sports environments. Sports have the power to build community, connection to caring adults, as well as physical and mental health improvements. However - even in our well-resourced community - we do not have enough space to meet the growing need for field space to allow our kids to get out and play.
As a parent of 3 young athletes and as the President of Alpine Little League, the issues that we constantly face in Menlo Park are:
1. Frequent disruption of youth sports due to weather affecting grass fields.
2. Necessary safety improvements to fields taking too long or ignored.
3. Having to cancel or limit participation due to a lack of availability of field space.
There is a lack of field space for kids up and down the Peninsula. I hear it constantly from our neighboring Little Leagues. Particularly with baseball where we have little to no options in Menlo Park for bigger field games. And many of the school sites are run down, needing significant improvements – often just to be safe. Local Little Leagues and sports clubs would be willing to help finance some field improvements but we need commitment from the City/School District that those improvements would be maintained.
An example of an improvement would be to install turf at Nealon Park; it already has lights. This would make the field available even during inclement weather vastly expanding its usefulness. It could even be made into a multi-use field for baseball, soccer and other sports.
Menlo Park has the opportunity to be a leader and a destination for kids that want to get outside and play. The availability of safe places for kids to play is also a huge aspect of driving equitable access to youth sports for all the kids in our community. Having to travel to other cities and towns creates a barrier that is insurmountable for many. I urge the City Council to think creatively – and in partnership with area youth sports organizations – on ways we can improve the quantity and availability of field space for the kids in our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Jen Sweeney
President, Alpine Little League
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Jen Sweeney
(Volunteer) President, Alpine Little League
(617) 372-6687
