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Orange Memorial Park Sports Field Update (Michael Mulkerrins, Recreation and Community Services Supervisor, Rentals and Sports Program)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission receive an update on operations at the Orange Memorial Park Sports Field, opened in October 2023.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Orange Memorial Park Sports Field opened on October 18, 2023. The field is a multi-use, synthetic turf field that is primarily used for soccer, baseball, and softball. The current permitted co-sponsored group use for this complex is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:00 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. by the South San Francisco Youth Baseball Managers Association (SSFYBMA), and Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. - 9:45 p.m. by the South San Francisco United Youth Soccer League (SSFUYSL). The weekends are split between both groups for game play. Public open hours are currently 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Monday - Thursday, and weekends when games are not scheduled. The field is closed on Fridays for maintenance by the Parks Division.
In April, the Parks and Recreation Department will begin a City-sponsored co-ed softball league on Mondays and Tuesdays. This will result in the relocation of the two co-sponsored groups to other City-maintained grass fields that they also use throughout the year in addition to the Orange Memorial Park Sports Field. Currently, Brentwood and Avalon Field are closed due to downed trees and saturated grass from recent rains.
As wonderful as the new sports complex is, it does come with its challenges. The fencing and goal posts are constantly needing to be moved to accommodate practice schedules. Staff have experimented with having both youth soccer and baseball split the field for simultaneous game play. Unfortunately, that did not work as the unpredictable flight paths of soccer and baseballs encroaching into the other areas became a safety concern. Staff have also tried having open public hours during permitted co-sponsor group usage. The same concerns regarding the flight path of public use equipment along with the inability to control the amount of people on the field due to being able to enter through all entry points is a safety concern that has prompted field closures just for permitted use only. Still, staff understands there is a demand for additional public hours, and are strategizing ways to appropriately calibrate schedules.
Another challenge is staffing the site. Currently, the department has a key vacancy in the Sports Coordinator position, which would be responsible for assisting in managing this facility and assigning field allocations. A recruitment is in progress, with interviews being held the week of March 11. Additionally, new budget appropriations for additional hourly staff to serve as field marshals will be made for the coming fiscal year to assist with in-field supervision.
CONCLUSION
The sports complex has been open for five months and staff have learned a lot. It has been a heavily used facility and staff have received a high volume of inquiries and requests for use of the fields. It is currently the only lighted field with web-based lighting and scoreboard systems. It has received positive reviews from co-sponsored groups as well as visiting teams that come in for tournament play. As the Department goes through each season, staff will continue to evaluate the field schedule and staffing needs to determine the best way to balance use and demand from co-sponsored groups, City use, public open play, and private rentals.