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Parks board approves temporary Roosevelt Field use for North Smithfield Little League practices; weekend game access allowed with conditions
Summary
The Town of Blackstone Parks and Recreation board approved one evening per week for North Smithfield Little League to practice at Roosevelt Field through Oct. 31 and granted conditional weekend game access subject to two days' notice and chair approval.
The Parks and Recreation board agreed Sept. 23 to allow North Smithfield Little League to use Roosevelt Field one night per week for practices through Oct. 31 and to permit weekend games on an as‑needed basis, provided the league gives two days’ notice and receives chair approval.
Eric Johnson, representing North Smithfield Little League, told the board that many of the league’s Babe Ruth–sized fields are out for renovation and that the team has 20 players for the fall season. "All our larger fields, Babe Ruth size, are unavailable to our use due to renovations," Johnson said. Coach Jeff Harris described likely start times around 4:30–5 p.m. during the fall and said the group would manage setup and routine maintenance such as raking.
The board emphasized conditions to protect field safety and ongoing programs. The caretaker, Adam, will coordinate equipment access and notify the league if the field becomes unavailable; the league will receive a lockbox code for tools and a bathroom key during approved uses. The chair noted the arrangement is being allowed free of charge this season only and that future requests may incur fees based on field wear and department policy changes.
The board approved weekday practices for Wednesdays from roughly 4:30 p.m. until dusk through Oct. 31 (motion made by Sarah; seconded by John). Separately, the board approved a motion to allow weekend game use on a case‑by‑case basis, subject to two days’ notice to the chair and coordination with staff for moving lighting equipment or avoiding scheduled events such as the town Fall Festival.
Board members said the approvals were intended to support youth participation while balancing existing programs that use Roosevelt and other fields. The chair asked the league to keep the board informed if playoff games would require additional approvals.
