LETTER: Recreation plan misses mark with softball fields
By Letters to the editor
To whom it may concern,
I am writing to express my concerns with the city of Castlegar and RDCK recreation commission’s plan to eliminate the ball field at the Castlegar complex as part of the upcoming complex revamp with no plan to replace it.
The city already took two ballfields out at Millennium with promises to replace them that still have not come about. The loss of the complex field would disqualify Castlegar from hosting any regional softball tournaments. CGSA (Castlegar Girls Softball Association) is considering bidding on hosting the regionals tournament in 2019, in which players from our entire region, from Cranbrook to the Okanagan, would be participating.
This would bring upwards of 20 teams, with 12 or more players per team plus associated family and coaching staff to Castlegar and with the loss of that field, we would not have enough fields within the required distance to be considered to host. We also use this field when hosting the local house team playoffs and we would also be unable to do so without this field.
The city/RDCK should already have a plan in place for replacing the field as it could be unusable as soon as spring of 2019 and the loss of tournament hosting would mean a great deal of tourist dollars would be lost as dozens of teams with as many as 13 players, plus coaches and parents would not be coming to Castlegar. Softball participation is on the rise locally and it would be in the city’s best interest to help facilitate that growth.
Shane Winter
Field Coordinator
Castlegar Girls Softball Association
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