The Editor,
Re. "Port Coquitlam OKs Gates Park solution" (tricitynews.com, May 23).
I thought I'd give you some feedback on your article about the netting/trees at Gates Park in Port Coquitlam. I am a manager for a PoCo soccer team and have witnessed one of our girls being struck in the back by a softball and taken to the hospital. We were standing in the parking lot when this happened.
The overhead netting (in blue in the picture accompanying the article) is being put in the most protected area of the problem area. With the ball field fences so high, the ball would have to be hit on an almost perfect angle to hit anyone walking here. As well, overhead netting won't protect the outfielders in the adjoining fields.
The 30-foot netting (in red in the photo): I like the idea of keeping balls out of the soccer box but why are we not keeping them in the ball field? People are getting hit between the ball field and soccer box. Wouldn't it make more sense the keep the balls in the ball field?
The trees are a good idea but netting would be a much better option. The balls are being hit very hard; if they make it through the trees, you won't see them coming; at least the trees should slow them down or stop them.
I applaud the city for finally doing something about this problem but I would like it to fix the problem, not just appease people.
The worst two spots for balls being hit into public area are beyond the left field fence on both parks, where a right-handed batter can pull the ball. There is no doubt in my mind someone is going to be killed if the proper measures aren't taken.
The ball that hit our player was coming in with such velocity that if it had hit her in the head, we would have had a fatality and the nets would already be up.
Brent Vivian, Port Coquitlam
