Parents and volunteers urge Palm Springs to repair Demuth Park fields, unlock bathrooms and speed communication

Several parents and volunteers representing AYSO soccer told the council Sept. 10 that poor field maintenance and limited communication from recreation staff are preventing youth teams from playing regularly at Demuth Park.

Speakers, including youth participants, described repeated problems: flooded fields, locked restrooms, sprinklers running during practice, and volunteers arriving at 5 a.m. to clear water so games could proceed. Frankie Espinosa, an AYSO volunteer, said the league has created a special‑needs team and relies on volunteers but that the city’s inconsistent maintenance and lack of a firm field‑use contract threaten the program's ability to operate locally.

Parents told the council they routinely had to move games to neighboring cities because fields were unplayable or unavailable. A volunteer requested a clear timeline for a field‑use contract from City Recreation staff, and asked for regular communications rather than “vague updates.” Daniella Nunez and Natalie Ruiz echoed the call for the city to partner with volunteers to keep youth sports in Palm Springs.

Why it matters: Councilmembers acknowledged the concern and asked staff to follow up, but no formal action was taken at the meeting. Speakers asked the council to prioritize youth recreation and to ensure that facilities used by hundreds of children are maintained and accessible.

Ending: Council asked staff to provide follow-up and the public to share contact information with the city clerk for direct coordination; staff later indicated the recreation department would respond and that a field‑use contract was pending.