Piedmont last constructed a sports field in the early 1990s. Since that time, the number of children playing youth sports has more than doubled due to an explosion of participation by girls, who now play sports in nearly equal numbers to boys. That is as it should be.
Until recently, Piedmont has been able to accommodate that increased participation by using fields in other cities. Our baseball teams practiced 30% of the time in Orinda, and our soccer teams practice 30% of the time at Alameda Point. But as these other cities have experienced their own youth sports boom, they have eliminated field use by outside teams, including Piedmont.
Piedmont Baseball no longer has access to Orinda fields, and Piedmont Soccer will lose access to Alameda Point in 2012. Building a new field at Merritt College is not an option for Piedmont teams, because that facility is for the use of Montclair Soccer Club, and most Piedmont donors would not provide funds for an out-of-town field in any event. If Blair Park is not approved, approximately 330 youth soccer players alone will lose their practice time when the field leases at Alameda expire. That’s 330 kids who will not be able to play soccer, not to mention impacts on football, lacrosse, softball and baseball. That’s why you’ll hear a lot about Save 330.
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December 31, 2009
PIEDMONT SOCCER CLUB LEASE WITH CITY OF ALAMEDA FOR USE OF FIELDS AT ALAMEDA POINT
To: Mayor and Council City Administrator
From: Mark Delventhal, Recreation Director
