Youth soccer crowds nasty and unruly
Some officers almost run over
LANCASTER — Competition for parking spaces is so tough during national tournaments at Citizens Bank Fields at Progin Park that police officers have been threatened and almost run over by irate and aggressive youth soccer parents, the police chief said.
At the last large tournament, over the Labor Day weekend, cars were parked on both sides of Old Union Turnpike and on lawns, Police Chief Kevin D. Lamb in a said in his report to the Planning Board last night.
The 10-field soccer park has 600 spaces and could use 2,000, according to facility director Dick Threadgould.
Chief Lamb said parents were walking on Old Union Turnpike around parked cars and in the road, towing young children, strollers and large coolers.
“People are being endangered, residents are being inconvenienced. These people just don’t want to listen to us. My officers have been threatened, cursed and almost run over,” said Chief Lamb.
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association Executive Director Mike Singleton said he agrees wholeheartedly with the chief about the parking problems and the attitudes of the parents. He told the Planning Board he is negotiating with Steven Harper and Steven Boucher, owners of abutting property, to complete a 1,400-space parking lot, ideally before the association’s first 2011 tournament in March.
He added that he will be negotiating the original 2-year-old plan, which, according to Mr. Boucher, already has Conservation Commission approval for a two-lane road with sidewalks.
“We have already spent $90,000 on plans and it is has been a growing, frustrating problem for the organization, but we’ll be talking with both Steves and this will happen by the spring,” said Mr. Singleton.
Planning Board Chairman Jeanne Rich said she wanted to shut down the field this past spring after many extensions and changes to leadership of the association, as well as changes to the parking plans.
The board’s next meeting is on Oct. 25, and Mr. Singleton and Mr. Boucher made promises to come back before the board with a plan and start date.
Some officers almost run over
LANCASTER — Competition for parking spaces is so tough during national tournaments at Citizens Bank Fields at Progin Park that police officers have been threatened and almost run over by irate and aggressive youth soccer parents, the police chief said.
At the last large tournament, over the Labor Day weekend, cars were parked on both sides of Old Union Turnpike and on lawns, Police Chief Kevin D. Lamb in a said in his report to the Planning Board last night.
The 10-field soccer park has 600 spaces and could use 2,000, according to facility director Dick Threadgould.
Chief Lamb said parents were walking on Old Union Turnpike around parked cars and in the road, towing young children, strollers and large coolers.
“People are being endangered, residents are being inconvenienced. These people just don’t want to listen to us. My officers have been threatened, cursed and almost run over,” said Chief Lamb.
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association Executive Director Mike Singleton said he agrees wholeheartedly with the chief about the parking problems and the attitudes of the parents. He told the Planning Board he is negotiating with Steven Harper and Steven Boucher, owners of abutting property, to complete a 1,400-space parking lot, ideally before the association’s first 2011 tournament in March.
He added that he will be negotiating the original 2-year-old plan, which, according to Mr. Boucher, already has Conservation Commission approval for a two-lane road with sidewalks.
“We have already spent $90,000 on plans and it is has been a growing, frustrating problem for the organization, but we’ll be talking with both Steves and this will happen by the spring,” said Mr. Singleton.
Planning Board Chairman Jeanne Rich said she wanted to shut down the field this past spring after many extensions and changes to leadership of the association, as well as changes to the parking plans.
The board’s next meeting is on Oct. 25, and Mr. Singleton and Mr. Boucher made promises to come back before the board with a plan and start date.
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