Study of softball field shows fencing was not adequate
A ballistic study on the risk of softballs landing outside the two softball fields in Jeanne-Mance Park that was used by the city to justify destroying one of the fields suggests that a higher back drop and fences could have resolved the issue.
The north field has been used for decades for pick-up softball games, and the approximately 200 regular players were bitterly disappointed when the city barricaded the area last summer. At the time, city officials said it was only temporary, so the space could be used to store equipment during renovations of the adjoining tennis courts.
As recently as February, the city ’s executive committee responsible for parks Luc Ferrandez had promised the soft ball players that the ball field would indeed be spruced up and reopened by the end of May.
But on May 24, city officials met with members of the Save the North Field Campaign, and told them the field would not be reopened. The back drop and sand has since been removed, and topsoil has been laid over the diamond.
Jeanne-Mance district city counsellor Alex Norris said the city had been sued by someone who was hit by a stray ball in 2016, and had to pay compensation. He also referred to a “ballistic study” that indicated that park users, pedestrians and motorists were at high risk of being hit by stray balls from the north field. He said the city could be held liable for future injuries if the field was reopened.
Marisa Bery Mendez, a spokesperson for the Save the North Field group, said she asked for a copy of the study at the May 24 meeting but was told she would have to put in an access to information request to get it. She did so, and received a copy of the study on Wednesday, as did The Montreal Gazette.
The study, Trajectoires de balles au parc Jeanne-Mance, is dated May 9, 2017. It does not give recommendations, but indicates the backstop on the north field was too low and fences not adequate to stop stray balls from the north field reaching the sidewalk and tennis courts.
Ferrandez touched off a firestorm of angry comments on social media when he spoke about the issue last week on Paul Arcand’s radio show on 98.5 FM.
Ferrandez said it is simply not possible to erect adequate fencing around both diamonds because they are too close together. He said the administration plans to give the pick-up players more time on the south field, by pushing some of the league play normally scheduled there into other parks.
Then he made a comment about the north field players which some took as insulting.
“I like these people a lot,” Ferrandez told Arcand. “They are a community of anglophones of a certain age. They are a group, they have been there forever, there are about 200 of them. They have fun. They make hotdogs. That’s life. That’s a community. It is out of the question that we will displace them. It’s the others we will displace.”
Berry Mendez said she wasn’t offended by the hotdog reference, but took issue with the softball group being described as “a community of anglophones of a certain age.” In fact, she said the players are of diverse ages and cultures and speak French, English and Spanish about equally, which is part of what makes the community so special.
Berry Mendez noted the study does not recommend demolishing the north field and indeed suggests fences and a higher back drop could solve the problem. She said she suspects the administration has an esthetic issue with higher fencing, but should be able to find a solution.
“The north field has historic, community value and should be maintained. The south field is used to capacity by a league that has been playing in Jeanne-Mance Park for 12 years and should not be displaced either.”
She said her group will continue to fight for the north field to be rebuilt and safely fenced.