The Editor,
Re. “Long Balls can be dangerous at Gates Park” (The Tri-City News, March 21).
As a mother of soccer players and a dog owner, I have been a user of Port Coquitlam’s Gates Park for many years. Dangerous long balls have been a concern to me for some time.
I was dismayed to read that PoCo council’s primary focus has been the pathway between the two baseball diamonds — the reach of long balls extend much further than that.
Poor design has placed too many activities in close proximity to one another.
I have witnessed home run balls flying onto a soccer field on multiple occasions.
Soccer players have been narrowly missed by incoming baseballs and I have seen balls from one ball diamond flying onto the other as fielders with their backs turned have to duck, hearing calls of “heads up” from the diamond behind.
If adult baseball games are to continue at Gates Park, safety netting is the only option. It may be expensive but the frequency of long balls poses a serious risk.
The park was poorly designed and PoCo city council must take responsibility, step up and pay the price.
Margie Davey,
Port Coquitlam
