Local Officials Show New Spirit of Cooperation and Pledge to Solve Field Shortages

Mamaroneck, NY; October 24, 2006

Responding to numerous appearances by citizens at board meetings in Larchmont, the Village and Town of Mamaroneck, and the Mamaroneck School Board, as well as an onslaught of letters written to the Boards and local newspapers, community leaders have recently made significant steps towards finding solutions to the chronic field shortages plaguing student athletes in the Larchmont-Mamaroneck area.

Joint meetings have recently taken place, for the first time on the issue of fields, with Larchmont Mayor Liz Feld, Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe and Mamaroneck Village Mayor Phil Trifiletti. Leaders from the three municipalities have recently engaged in detailed discussions with Westchester Legislator Judy Myers in White Plains regarding the use of Legacy money—county funds designated for field improvements. And trustees at a recent Village of Mamaroneck Board meeting agreed to invite representatives from the School Board and all three municipalities to a meeting to discuss field solutions sometime in November.

Feld discussed at the October 16 Village Board meeting the possibility of converting space in Flint Park into a turf field. And the Mamaroneck School Board is seeking public input from community sports groups and members of recently-formed Larchmont Mamaroneck Fields for Kids before finalizing their revised plan for school field improvements.

The newfound spirit of cooperation comes on the heels of a community push for fields spearheaded by Fields for Kids, a grass-roots committee composed of local residents. “We felt the time had come to speak up for our children,” says Fields for Kids President Jim Hanley. “The groundswell of support and enthusiasm about the need for new fields is tremendous,” says Nancy Gardiner, VP of Communications.

Letter writers and speakers at school and town meetings have included representatives of all ages and all sports. Student members of the State Championship MHS Field Hockey team, Bob Garry, founder of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Youth Lacrosse League, Mike Chiapparelli, the high school baseball coach, Bruce Cauley, the son of a war veteran, 8th graders on a Larchmont Youth Soccer League travel team, and Joan Clarke, a former PTA President, are among the many speaking out.

The call for new fields comes after the August 31 New York State Court of Appeals decision upholding the school district’s right to relocate the Kemper Memorial to make room for a new field. The school board first proposed the plan in 2000, but it has been mired in controversy and litigation since then.

“It’s time to find a solution,” said Hanley. “We’re asking our leaders to look at all the options, put their heads together, and come up with a plan. And do it quickly,” he added. “We’ve been waiting a long time.”

About Larchmont Mamaroneck Fields for Kids

FFK was organized in September 2006 and is currently seeking not-for-profit status.

Fields for Kids Mission Statement

Larchmont Mamaroneck Fields for Kids is a community-based organization whose mission is to advocate for the adequate number of safe and up-to-date playing fields for students participating in school-related and community-run sports programs in our area. We support:

•The positive impact of active sports participation on academic
performance and the development of healthy individuals.

•Municipal and community efforts to find prompt solutions to the
current shortage of fields, including investigation of new fields, turf, and/or lighting.

•Partial private funding for the upgrade of existing fields and
creation of new outdoor fields.

•Efforts to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans

•The authority of the School Board to take action on its property
for the benefit of the students

Contact: Blythe Hamer at blythehamer@hotmail.com or 914-643-0890