Local youth baseball leagues feel economic pinch

City fee forces youth baseball league site shift

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By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 11:53 PM Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The 200 kids who play baseball in the nonprofit, Pinewood Athletic Association league may be the latest causalities in the city of Dayton’s budget crunch.

Beginning this season, the city is charging all noncity leagues a flat rate of $50 per ballfield, per day to use its baseball diamonds.

It would cost Pinewood an estimated $2,500 to play games at Belmont Park and double that to also practice there, said James M. Walker, president of the Pinewood association.

LaShea Smith, interim director of the city’s Department of Recreation and Youth Services, said the fees were announced last year.

“Everyone is feeling the pinch. All we’re asking is that people who use the fields help maintain them,” she said.

Pinewood league coaches and city officials met at the Lohrey Community Center on Tuesday, April 28, to discuss the fee. Both sides were defensive at first.

“I know the city’s budget is tight, but we’re doing our best to keep kids off the street,” coach Tony Mauro said.

Pinewood was invited to join the city league and experimented with participation last year. Problems arose amid different league rules and Pinewood families who did not like traveling to games outside their neighborhood.

“They (parents) didn’t feel the need for tee-ballers to travel outside their neighborhood to play,” Walker said.

Pinewood contacted Dayton Public Schools and hopes to start its season, as planned, next week at the Pinewood Park behind Kemp School, 1023 Gondert Ave., where they would not be charged a fee.

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