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Local cricket players press board for clearer access, staff outlines reservation fee and signage plan
Summary
Residents who play informal cricket at Folsom and Lakewood parks told the Parks and Recreation Board they want clearer rules and fair access; staff said Lakewood is the only formal pitch, described a $70/hour reservation rate (two soccer-field equivalent), and said new signs and a QR-code link to rules and reservations will be posted.
A group of Prosper residents who play informal cricket asked the Parks and Recreation Board on May 8 for clearer rules and fair access to park space, saying recent citations and field closures have created uncertainty about where and when they can play.
The residents, represented in public comment by Satya Bommaraju, said the players have used a grassy area near Folsom Park since 2021 and that they do not occupy marked soccer fields. “We are residents. We're not from out of town. We are cricket enthusiasts ... we don't occupy the soccer fields,” Bommaraju said. He told the board the group polices e-bikes and litter themselves and asked that residents be treated equally when parks are open.
The request came after Mayor David Distal described enforcement at Lakewood Park, saying police cited individuals at a closure and that out-of-town visitors were among those cited: “They went out and cited the individuals. There were 7 people from Salina, 6 from Prosper, and I believe 3 from Frisco,” Distal said.
Why it matters: Board members and staff said cricket participants compete for limited time and space on multiuse fields. The board asked staff to return with a fuller plan to balance demands for cricket, soccer and other field uses and to clarify reservation rules for residents and outside users.
What staff said: Director Dan Baker told the board Lakewood Park is currently the only formalized cricket pitch in town and described the department's interim pricing and signage approach. Baker said a single soccer field rental for a resident is $35 per hour; the cricket pitch occupies an area between two soccer fields, so staff is charging $70 per hour when the space is reserved as a pitch. He said new signs and a QR code will link to park rules, reservations and a schedule of availability.
"Right now, at Lake Lakewood is our only pitch that we have formalized ... To reserve it, right now, it costs a resident for 1 soccer field, it's $35 for a resident. The pitch is laid between 2 soccer fields ... so we've said $70 an hour," Baker said. He said signs with a QR code and a reservation form will be posted in the coming days to show rules and who has the space reserved.
Board follow-up: The board asked staff to prepare a more detailed presentation before the end of the fiscal year covering unmet demand, fee structure, scheduling and potential locations for additional pitches or partnerships. Board member Kyle Lafrenay specifically requested a formal staff strategy and an update on municipal support for cricket; Dan Baker said staff will present a plan—timing to be determined but before fiscal year end.
Ending: The board did not take any formal vote on policy changes at the May 8 meeting; staff will return with a plan and additional data on field availability, fees and signage.
