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Blackstone Parks & Recreation approves $300 for temporary netting after neighbor safety concerns
Summary
After weeks of complaints about foul balls leaving Roosevelt Field, the Town of Blackstone Parks and Recreation approved up to $300 for interim netting over the field's backstop and asked staff to research longer-term retrofit options.
The Town of Blackstone Parks and Recreation meeting March 24 approved a $300 spending cap for maintenance staff to purchase and install temporary netting over the Roosevelt Field backstop to reduce pop-up foul balls reaching neighboring properties.
The decision followed a protracted discussion of whether a simple net would suffice or whether a larger canopy or retrofitted backstop would be necessary. Commissioners and maintenance staff debated mesh size, expected effectiveness and installation logistics before approving the immediate purchase so play could continue with a mitigation measure in place.
Why it matters: Commissioners cited complaints about pop-up foul balls reaching adjacent yards. The temporary netting is intended to reduce immediate hazards ahead of a fuller engineering or retrofit assessment.
What commissioners heard and decided Maintenance staff described options and limits: single soccer-style nets were inexpensive but may have large mesh openings that allow baseballs and softballs to pass through; staff reported example netting sizes and prices (a 20-by-30-foot net was cited in discussion at about $53 online) and estimated the existing backstop is roughly 16 feet tall. Several commissioners said it made sense to try a low-cost interim measure rather than immediately invest in a full backstop retrofit. The commission authorized up to $300 for Adam, the department maintenance lead, to purchase and secure appropriate netting and any connecting hardware.
Follow-up and conditions The commission directed staff to: - Purchase netting within the $300 limit and install it at the Roosevelt backstop. - Return with a report on effectiveness and a cost estimate for any required larger retrofit (canopy or new backstop) if pop-up foul balls continue to escape beyond the temporary net.
Ending: The commission emphasized the intent to act quickly to reduce immediate safety risks while collecting information needed to evaluate a higher-cost solution.
