Community groups press Baldwin UFSD to open new high school track; board will study access over the summer

Parents, youth-sports leaders and members of the Baldwin track team asked the Baldwin Union Free School District Board of Education on April 9 to allow community groups to use the district’s new high school track and turf field. Board members said the facility is being used by school teams, raised concerns about maintenance and security, and pledged to gather information and hold follow-up discussions this summer before changing access rules.

The request began when Jamila Joseph St. Bernard, who identified herself as the parent of a VITES track team member, asked whether VITES could use the Baldwin High School track “at least one or two days a week.” The board’s initial response, delivered by the meeting chair, said district teams are the first priority and that the board intentionally gave itself a year to observe wear-and-tear and maintenance needs before expanding community access.

The matter matters to residents because the track and field were funded and built with public dollars and community members said limited access affects youth programs that serve Baldwin children. Speakers warned that denying short-term access would force groups such as PAL and other youth clubs to use overcrowded, less-safe facilities nearby. Marvin McCready told the board that using the field while warranty coverage is in effect could help identify construction or material defects, saying the district should consult the project closeout and warranty documents before delaying use.

Board members and the superintendent stressed several constraints. The board said high-school varsity and junior-varsity teams are currently using the track during school hours and that the district needs time to evaluate maintenance schedules, security and potential long-term costs. A board member noted efforts to secure the facility to prevent unauthorized access while students are present. Multiple speakers proposed compromises: allocating one day per week to certain groups while PAL (and similar organizations) would receive two days for narrow sections of the season, or granting temporary, limited permits for the April–May PAL season only.

Several community representatives pressed for quicker action because PAL’s season begins imminently. The board did not grant any immediate permits for outside groups at the meeting. Instead board leaders said they will collect usage data from buildings and grounds, consult facility closeout/warranty documents and reach out to group leaders to arrange an informational meeting as soon as that information is available. The board promised to set up a follow-up meeting and notify the requesters; no formal vote was taken at the April 9 meeting.

Context and next steps: the board emphasized it is not permanently closing the facility to outside users but wants to preserve the turf and track life and to address security and scheduling issues. Board members said they expect to revisit permitting this summer and to consider phased or limited access during overlapping seasons so multiple groups are treated consistently.