Hey batta, batta, batta...SWING!

We have a cute lil park at the end of our block. Just as we were moving into the neighborhood, they put in a little league field at the end. The park was more than big enough for the field, a snack bar, a tennis court, a basket ball court and a playground. But then the traffic problems started.



Then they decided they needed to move the playground closer to the field so that parents could keep an eye on their darling lil tykes that weren't in the game. So with that, there was a large grass space left at the far end from the field.



Neighbors got signatures for a dog park there, as many folks have dogs that walk in the park. But we came up against a brick wall and rumblings began that the LL wanted to put ANOTHER field in the green space.



Hackles people...my hackles went up.



It's been a couple years now, and it seems the LL has finally got what they needed to push this forward. A grant for $30,000 is helpful as well. What city is going to turn that down?



"Why didn't we think of getting a grant for the dog park?" my neighbor groused.



"Because the LL is a well oiled war machine that has for decades taken over park space like a militia on it's way to Tara, burning neighbors moods as they went." I grumbled back.



We went to the community meeting (re: dog and pony show) last night. They had hot dogs and hamburgers for us to enjoy. I chose not to share in the 'bribe'. Each member of the LL came over, somber and looking like a puppy that was just spanked for pooping on grandma's Oriental rug.



"Are you here for the meeting? I'm so glad you came. We just want to give everyone a chance to voice their opinion and we, the LL, want to work with the community to blah blah blah.....".



A lil bit of throw up in my mouth. They knew what they were up against. No one wants this park...they know it. You can read it on their guilty lil pusses. Lil did I know it was really deeper than that.



As the meeting proceeded, the president of the LL was a man with a 'tude a mile long. He was there with a chip on his shoulder and a disgusted look on his face. He tried to make it sound like we were a bunch of kid haters, which is the furthest from the truth.



I love them.....I just can't finish a whole one by myself. badumpah...thank you I'll be here all week!



But seriously folks....I went cuz I just think we are a kid-centric society. If you're a breeder, you get the benes. I'm childless (at least...that I know of :::wink wink:::) and I should have space in the park as much as anyone else. I pay the taxes for the city park, and I pay school taxes and I don't have kids! I like that green space for letting my pooch run around. I like that green space for laying in the grass. I like that green space for being...well....GREEN, damn it!



With an additional playing field there will be double the traffic. Double the parked cars lining the street. Double the children darting between cars.



The LL folks got frothier and more worked up the more folks brought up reasons NOT to have the field. One LL guy had this "What the fuck is wrong with you people?" attitude that really didn't help either when he pipped up.



I spoke my two cents and then it dawned on me: this is a done deal! They weren't acting all coy cuz they were trying to win votes, Oh no! This was in the pot and cooking and they thought it was a slam dunk! They thought we would show up, lift them over our heads and cheer them for saving our park from ruin with their t-ball field!



This turned out to be....a VERY differnt meeting, indeed!



"I just want you to go home and think....are your reasons for not wanting this field as selfless as mine?" said the president of the LL. "I'm just trying to make a place for kids to play...what are YOUR reasons for NOT wanting it?"



Ummmm...Ya JACKHOLE! I don't want to you dig up the park, increase the traffic and noise pollution with screaming kids. Let me just put it to you this way...I won't be having a picnic on your pitching mound. It's kind of in the way of MY park.