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Advisory board hears questions about Bondy Field access and maintenance amid Boys & Girls Club proposal
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Summary
Public comment and advisory discussion focused on Bondy Field after concerns surfaced that league access and free play could be affected by a proposed nearby facility; staff said Bondy consists of three grass fields and will provide more information on maintenance and reservation policies.
During public comment and the projects update, City Commissioner Trent Davis and board members raised questions about upkeep, availability and long‑term management of Bondy Field after residents and field users expressed concern about a proposed facility near the site.
Trent Davis, who identified himself as a city commissioner during the meeting, asked whether Parks and Recreation has a long‑range plan for upkeep and maintenance of Bondy Field and whether free playing fields are still part of the city’s operating model. “I was gonna ask after the meeting… would like to know if there’s any long range plan for how Parks and Rec handles Bondy Field, as far as upkeep, maintenance,” Davis said during citizen forum.
Staff replied that Bondy Field functions as a set of drop‑in grass fields and that the department maintains several other free fields, including some availability at Bill Burke and at Berkeley Family Recreational Area (BFRA) outside tournament lock‑ups. Staff described field inventory as Bondy 1 (largest), Bondy 2 (mid‑sized) and Bondy 3 (smaller), and said the city’s maintenance levels for Bondy are not the same as higher‑demand sites such as Bill Burke or BFRA. The presenter said usage and maintenance logistics — including field crew location and the timing of seasonal maintenance — affect how often Bondy is prepped for game play.
Representatives of the Mexican American Baseball League and other users raised concerns at a previous meeting that a proposed use by the Boys & Girls Club could displace community users; staff said the Boys & Girls Club has told them it does not intend to take Fields 2 and 3 and that it seeks to share and help improve the fields. Staff also said league teams may reserve turf fields for free during league season but that there are set fees for reserving turf or for special game‑day maintenance at other sites; exact fees vary by facility and were not read into the record.
No formal action was taken. Staff said they would gather additional data on mowing, trimming and maintenance hours and return with details on who manages Bondy Field and the resources required to keep it game ready. The board did not vote to approve or reject any proposed land sale or facility proposal during the meeting.
