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Nonprofit asks Hagerstown to add field lighting at Wheaton Park; council asks staff to return with plan
Summary
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes requested lights and engineering support for Wheaton Park to extend youth football practice hours. Councilmembers expressed support but asked staff to check compatibility with an ongoing park improvement project and to study potential light spill to nearby homes.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Scott Myers, a local representative of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, asked the Hagerstown Mayor and Council on Feb. 11 to approve installation of field lighting at Wheaton Park to extend evening practice time for youth football and to help start girls’ flag and high-school-age teams.
Myers said the nonprofit has operated a youth sports program at Wheaton Park since 2019 and has raised local funds to support year-round activities. “We began working with the youth in this area,” Myers told the council. He asked the city to approve lights for the field, assist with engineering review so the wiring and poles work with other planned park improvements, and consider any available city funds to help pay for installation. Myers said he has an estimated budget from a vendor and is prepared to fundraise if necessary.
Why it matters: Lighting would lengthen practice and game hours in the fall when daylight is limited, potentially allowing the nonprofit to add girls flag teams and high-school 7-on-7 squads. Councilmembers noted the park already has court lights and an active, funded Wheaton Park project that includes a bandstand and playground equipment; they asked staff to ensure new poles and fixtures would not conflict with the existing plan.
Council concerns and next steps: Councilwoman Bell and Councilwoman Burnett both said they support better lighting but want details on hours and neighbor impacts. One council member raised the risk of light spilling into adjacent homes; Myers said he had a vendor review pole height and directional fixtures to reduce spillover. Eric Dyke, director of public works, told the council staff had met Myers on site and that installing poles is “doable” and could be coordinated with the park improvements. The council asked staff to return to the next regular session with an update and engineering recommendations.
Ending: The council did not vote on funding at the work session; members directed staff to evaluate engineering compatibility, glare mitigation, and hours-of-operation limits before a formal funding decision.
