No Offense, But It’s Time to Play
From the time BPS was bought many years ago, it has been used for youth sports practice. Selectmen of both parties have said that it would continue to be used that way, over and over, and NH+ and FoBPS have not heard them. Rationality and respect require listening skills.
When we bought the property, that was one of the bonus points put forward by pro-purchase folks. We had a very active youth sports program and were short of field space then. I hope none of those people are in the FoBPS crowd, for then I’d have to assign to them one of the other ugly motives that floated around at the time.
The majority of the houses bordering BPS were bought or built AFTER it was bought for active recreation. I don’t know if these are the families who are complaining about it’s use, because there is no organization named FoBPS registered anywhere, and several of the people who are complaining do not live adjacent to the park.
Our latest “math lesson” from NH+ and Maria has BPS used 2 hrs x 4 teams x 5 days a week, drawing the conclusion that BPS is over-utilized at 40 hours a week. PLEASE somebody give me a calculator! WHAT will happen to the universe should we calculate the hours used at Browns Corner with that logic? That may cause a warp in the time-space continuum.
The four football teams all practice on a short version of the same field. A football field is 360 feet long, but they can’t use that much space; there isn’t enough light. So perhaps we should divide the total hours by the dimensions of the cone of light to get actual usage. Give me a break! And Maria, there are actually FOUR cheering squads.
They are actually excited to have a field that is adequate for them, and will be happy to leave BPS when the field at Antolini is ready.
Field space problems will still exist. Soccer will need to move to BPS on completion of the field, changing the focus of the anger of FoBPS to them. Remember, they called for “no active recreation at BPS.” This has been a deliberate attempt to try to make it about football so that other parents whose children are involved in other sports would not be concerned.
Maria does not dictate how many practices a week a team needs. That is well beyond the duties of any position she holds, and other people are in charge. I find it incredible that she would try to assume that position.
We are not the ones trying to change the use of BPS, they are. Without a referendum they can’t. I say, bring it on. That path will save us a great deal of grief in the long run when football does move to Antolini, because the next target will be soccer, which moves to BPS.
It would be a lot cheaper for us to find them a dog park than it would be to buy another field that large for youth sports practice.
newhartfordbeacon.com 
Since there are 8 teams; MM, A, B and C teams and their prospective cheer squads, using “Moore Math”, doesn’t that mean Brodie South is used 5 days a week x 2 hours a day x 8 teams = 80 hours a week? Or, according to the anonymous “neighbors” that are “without dispute” – practice is 5 days a week x 4 hours a night x 8 teams – for a grand total of 160 hours a week. That’s close to 7 full days of 24 hours a day Football practice, people!! With reasoning like this, its no wonder they’re upset!
Love it! 32 hours per day of practice at BPS. Only in America.
I’m glad you pointed out that the houses were bought or built AFTER BPS was bought for active recreation. I’ve wondered about that point myself. So, when they bought/built their house they KNEW that there was a park nearby where children would be playing, whether it’s an organized sport or not and that they would hear some noise from it. That’s like buying a house near an airport and then complaining because planes fly over.
Where are these neighbors? I’ve noticed just one house directly across from the BPS practice field.
There are a few along the south side of the park. Bordering the park, but not necessarily near the playing field area.