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Young athletes need more fields

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published February 8, 2007

I am writing in support of the Times editorial, Tough to think science when policy interferes, Jan. 14. The author, Diane Steinle, does an excellent job of fairly assessing the issue of expansion of the East Lake Youth Sports Complex.

The Environmental Science Forum, at its recent meeting, could not present concrete scientific reasons why the expansion of the East Lake Youth Sports Complex should not take place, but instead cited political reasons for not making a recommendation to proceed with expansion.

There are, however, also many political reasons why the expansion should be allowed to proceed. I am the president of the East Lake Eagles Youth Football and Cheerleading Organization, one of the three clubs that play on the fields at the East Lake Youth Sports Complex. We have some 400 children involved in football and cheerleading representing some 300 families from the East Lake area.

When the expansion was announced four years ago, our football club decided to join a larger league so we could put more children on the field and not turn them away as in years past. Now the expansion has been put on hold because of questionable environmental issues and land designations.

We now have twice as many children using the same fields as we had four years ago. Field use times are limited, often resulting in young children practicing much later than their parents would like.

The need for more recreational fields in the East Lake area is beyond great and there is simply nowhere else to go. Recreational facilities provide children with a place to learn the values of life as well as physical fitness.

The land in question is a 38-acre tree farm and not a very good one at that. I would submit that our children are worth more than preserving and developing a small patch of tree farm. I do not pretend that environmental issues are not important; they absolutely are. However, as Diane Steinle so nicely put it, this is not a solely environmental issue but a political and social one.

I think it is very possible that a compromise can be reached to allow the East Lake expansion to continue while not encroaching on the preserve. As much as I value living next to the preserve, I value the future of our children more.

I urge the county commissioners to vote in favor of the change of land designation and the expansion for the benefit of the community and children of the East Lake area.

Eric Spaziani, Tarpon Springs

Re: Clearwater Beach parking garages

Reject penny tax, reject boat ramps

Thirty-thousand dollars for one parking spot? We already have our 500 parking spots for free.

Don't you get it? What's your problem? Why do you want to build a Beach Walk when you can come out of the parking lot and see and use the beach for free? The beach is the view.

Your high-handed action concerning the proposed boat slips on the beach is insulting.

To the people of Clearwater: Don't vote for "Penny for Pinellas." They are throwing your money away.

Don't vote for the boat slips downtown, either. Vote for fishing piers all over this area. The only people who will get these boat ramps will be "friends of friends."

No Penny for Pinellas. No boat ramps downtown. You will not get this chance again. Don't blow it.

Thomas M. Caragher, Clearwater

Re: Largo needs sign law that is fair and firm editorial, Feb. 1

Signs don't work if you can't see them

It's not about what the businesses and citizens need or want in Largo. It's about what the city of Largo and the St. Petersburg Times can agree on.

Yes, the signs are out of control, but you do not go from one extreme to another.

And why would you further restrict signage in the blighted redevelopment areas? To eliminate the small businesses for the good of the city's great vision?

The Times has no problem displaying full-page ads in its newspaper, adding to the size of the "A" section just to include more. Personally, I find it blight to the quality of the news.

So why do they do it? For the same reason we need signs that will actually work. Not signs that are the height of cars or hidden behind trucks and minivans. What do you think the outcome will be when people driving by cannot see the signs ?

Where, oh where did comparing a semirestricted, tourist island such as Sanibel result in the justification of this mess? Merchants along the Clearwater-Largo Road corridor have debated with and compromised with the city in the past. The signs as they are proposed will not work on the small lots of our redevelopment area stores, thus the city is unfairly discriminating against the redevelopment area.

Alas, I am sure the city will get what it wants; it has the authority and resources to instigate this again and again until we succumb. And yes, the St. Petersburg Times will be happy, for we will need to increase our advertising with them.

Ron Bortolini, Largo

Re: Condo owner: It's no dastardly duck deed, just kitty care story, Feb. 6

Good grief! Duck-feeders aren't criminals

It's been 23 years since my Toyota truck was stolen while I was attending then-St. Petersburg Junior College. Not to say that I'm still bitter at the police for never having found the truck, but after reading the story on Tracy Thomas and her long history of allegedly committing the "crime of duck feeding," I find it hard not to write this letter and say, "Finally, the police are starting to work for the community and find these hardened criminals and fine them for their crimes!"

Are you kidding me? We have police staking out the garage of a woman feeding ducks?

They were called away from their busy day of real police work to warn a woman for allegedly committing this heinous crime.

No wonder there are never enough officers on the police force to patrol our local areas!

Okay, enough picking on the police. Let me start on her neighbors. You people need to get off the couch and get out and start finding a hobby or something and quit bothering the police with these type of calls. I understand it's against the law in Pinellas Park to feed the Muscovy ducks, but I'm sure some other "crimes" are occurring with a much greater need for police involvement!

Chris Wags, Oldsmar

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified February 8, 2007, 06:59:00]