Will Full Court Basketball Come to Meisel?
Springfield Township Administrator Anthony Cancro indicated it might.
A communication from Union County indicated that full court basketball may be coming back to Springfield.
Springfield Township Administrator Anthony Cancro told the Township Committee that Union County had instructed him to make a formal request to have full basketball courts installed at the County-owned Meisel Field.
Cancro said Union County county officials looked into whether the township's decicison to take down a basketball hoop at Laurel Park violated County grant rules. As Springfield received money from the county for parks, it was believed that taking down the hoops might incur a penalty.
Cancro told the Township Community that the county ruled in favor of Springfield. He added that the County said he should make a formal request to have the county install full court hoops at Meisel Field.
One of the Laurel Park court’s hoops was taken down earlier this summer after residents of the neighborhood near the park complained about loutish, unruly and disruptive behavior by players at the park. Similar complaints had led to the town taking down hoops at Smithfield and other parks in 2011 and 2012.
The removal of the hoop irked many Springfield residents. Several insinuated the move was driven by racism, alleging that the neighbors are complaining because black youths—presumed to be from out of town—use the courts.
The Committee voted to keep the hoop down at their August 28 meeting.
R. Ring
8:36 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Does anyone know why the court at Ruby is not being used? Both hoops are off there at the moment. I asked our township committee if ths was a viable option for a quick fix while they worked on a long term solution. The mayor did scold his constituants for complaining rather than suggesting solutions. Naturally, not one of them replied to my email. Ruby seems to make sense because there is a parking lot, the court is far from the children's playground & the court is set further away from the neighbors' backyards. Perhaps it has already been discussed and dismissed for a logical reason, but the mayor does not seem to think it important to answer voters questions unless it suits his agenda.
Elizabeth
9:46 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Nobody seems to use Ruby park. It's right across the street from the HS. Why isn't that ever considered as part of the HS?
Sppeedyg
6:43 pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I know where there are a few backboard not being used in Springfield (brand new also)
Jim Shamrock
4:47 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
I can't believe that all the parks had 1 basketball hoop removed over the last few months. Removing the 2nd basket is NOT the answer. If you want to put regulations that there is No full court basketball unless certain after school hours (Between 3-5 PM etc.) that would make more sense. It should also be Residents of Springfield on the courts (At least a few kids should be from town during games).
The Springfield Recreation should be involved in coordinating this.
Also, why doesn't The Springfield Rec open up the old YMCA building for a Youth Center????
They have an indoor basketball court that is never used and this builidng can be useed to keep teens busy rather than getting in to trouble. Indoor Hockey with plastic sticks and puck makes a great indoor game as well. (Back in Brooklyn NY growing up we had these centers everywhere).
Bottom line, be proactive instead of reactive. Put up signs or rules and reinforce rather than tear down a basket.
Jim Shamrock
12:51 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
Next, will they build the turf field with Only 1 goal post or soccer net? The "so called" Sub-Committee is as the basketball courts are...."One Sided"! Time to get the replacement Refs off Committee and get a pro-kids, pro-Sports committe in and remove the Subs as the NFL just did. It's a joke!
bob groder
6:16 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012
because all of the parks were built with green acres funds by law the parks are open to anyone ( not just springfield residents) but the town should setup making anyone who wants to play apply for permits so this way the courts can be used by anyone and everyone. im for doing whats fair. the rules of green acres dictate however that springfield cant restrict the courts to just springfield citizens. a solution is coming soon however if meisel field gets a full court from the county. they seem to be all for it. this would alleviate the problem since its not near houses.