Dear esteemed Menlo Park City Council members,
I believe that increasing the availability of a flood lit turf field for youth sports should be a city priority. Specifically, field space should be required as part of re-development of the 60 acre SRI campus. I urge you to consider the community amenity aspect of this development.
A dedication similar to El Camino Park in Palo Alto across from Stanford Mall or Mayfield Soccer Fields at the corner of Page Mill & El Camino is needed.
At Stanford Strikers, a youth community soccer organization, the issues that we face in Menlo Park are:
1. Frequent disruption of youth sports due to weather affecting grass fields.
2. Menlo Park youth driving to other cities due to lack of local field availability.
3. Abbreviated practices for 6 months of the year due to absence of lighted fields.
This is in contrast to our neighboring cities up and down the peninsula that support:
1. More regulation size athletic and recreation fields with all-weather turf surfaces
2. Flood lit fields that allow sports till 9 PM
3. Usage of school fields
I believe that this must be a priority for our city. I think that the SRI development requires a dedication of a regulation size floodlit athletic field.
An SRI location would allow Burgess Park to remain a grass field as it plays host to countless community programs, festivals, and camps throughout the year. An SRI location with lighting would also minimize the need for lighting at Burgess, surrounded by family homes.
Thank you.
