Comments on: Hobokenpix: Locked Fields

By: Imasucker Bravo

Imasucker Bravo — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:16:49 +0000

Obviously many are not aware to the extent that this field is used. During the summer, from April through August, there were approximately 80 Little League games played on that field alone. Not so sure how many Softball games were played since I couldn't find a schedule, but I'm sure almost as many as the boys. Baseball and Softball clinics in July every day, Mon-Fri From Sept through Nov, approximately 90 soccer matches. Plus other sports use this field as well like volleyball. So when was this photo taken, in the morning when all the kids should be in school? No wonder it's empty. In response to lhoward222 who said:

Frankly, I think that's bullshit, elitism. The open space, in a very limited open space town, can only be used part of the year b/c it's used for a week or two for baseball run-offs? Would you say the same if it was a bocci garden?

By: midtownauthentic

midtownauthentic — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:55:43 +0000

the roller hockey rink is always closed and we all jump the fence and play anyway and nobody has said anything in 7 years.

By: WashingtonStreetHero

WashingtonStreetHero — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:29:54 +0000

YES, but in what mile radius does the acreage have to be within?

I bet there are some blocks in Manhattan where you can find 40,000 people, yet there is less than 5 acres of park space.

For wanting to be out and about in a park, you sure sound lazy to me as I know for a fact that there is well over 100 acres of park land 3 miles down the river in Jersey City.

In response to DavidsSling who said:

First the Ballpark in the projects is rented out to those that can pay – The Kids in the projects are not allowed to use it.
Better to have some kind of organized sports in these empty fields
after school (let the rec team work when the kids are out of school rather than during)
Better to have the kids playing sports or using community rooms after they do homework than hanging out on the streets
Second

According to park standards, for every 1000 persons, there should be 2.5 acres of active recreational park space. Under this nationally recognized recognized NYC park standard, Hoboken’s 40,000 residents should have over 100 acres of park land. Hoboken has only about 38 acres of park land including the soon to be opened Pier C park. This extreme park land deficit is causing some residents to compete for use of the existing park land.
Only 2 schools have playgrounds

1. 1500 (8 Schools) children must use Church Square park everyday because the City does not have enough school playgrounds
2. Sports teams young and old must leave town to find field space
3. Young children must play late in the evening on school nights for field time

By: homeworld

homeworld — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:37:39 +0000

I miss the free ice skating rink that used to be there in the winter until they put the fake turf in.

By: MartyMcFly

MartyMcFly — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:57:35 +0000

I don’t understand where this post came from. This field is practically always in use.

By: DavidsSling

DavidsSling — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:41:02 +0000

In response to lhoward222 who said:

bocci was as am example of sport that few care about yet many could scream about. i care about reserving a field that kids could otherwise run their energy out on for any sport, yet reserved for an event that seems to last for less than a month. that’s bullshit. all of those parks you mentioned? they have “no balls” rules … and some you made up — what park on 15th and park? what park on sinatra (unless you mean the one closed due to unhealthy fumes/pier collapse ?).

I don’t have kids, though believe the kids should be able to use one of the only real fields that aren’t condemned for play. Lord knows they aren’t allowed to toss balls in Columbus or Elysian. (No ball playing.) Nor the big old empty space at Maxwell Place on Sinatra Drive (though some do anyway.).

By: WashingtonStreetHero

WashingtonStreetHero — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:35:59 +0000

This field is used pretty much year round. I have seen softball games, baseball games (coaches, please tell your kids to keep their back elbow up when hitting), volleyball games, soccer matches, pick up baseball games and tons of other activities on this field. There are most likely legal reasons as to why this field is locked when it is.

My one gripe with blah, is that the field does not have a dirt infield. One of the things I loved about baseball, was the smell of the dirt.

By: escaped68

escaped68 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:32:15 +0000

So what you are saying is that because they maintain the field it is theirs for their exclusive use and they will issue permits to who ever they feel is responsible enough to use it. It is a public field for the publics use. By using your logic 5 residents can stake out a section of any park clean and maintain it and then put up a fence and say “it’s for our use only”.

By: Mama Luke

Mama Luke — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:15:43 +0000

blahblahblah, I agree with you 100%. Its unfortunate but true. and in response to lhoward222. You are uninformed, the Little League Field is used not only by our children playing baseball but also ladies softball, soccer, volleyball parades, etc. I have seen people on the field who took it upon themselves to use the field without permission cause damage to the field which cost the city lots of money to repair. All you have to do is apply for a permit to use the field. In response to lhoward222 who said:

By: Furey

Furey — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:54:24 +0000

In April 2007, Mayor Bloomberg announced PlaNYC, a master plan for building an environmentally sustainable New York by 2030.

Part of that initiative is opening up locked school playgrounds to the public.

cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/...0-school-playgrounds-to-the-public/

I personally think its a great idea and something we in Hoboken can adopt ourselves. Another locked playground is on 2nd and Adams at the Multi-Service Community Center. The only time I see the basketball / hockey court open is when rollerhockey is going on. The gates should be unlocked here for use during the day to shoot hoops.