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by Stephen Beal
As a resident in the Town of Goffstown I would like to express
my support of Warrant Article 11. I have coached my kids and watched
them play various sports over the last several years on various fields
around town. For the most part they have played on fields that are
privately owned and the use of these venues has been generously donated
by the Villa, The Allard family, The Lions Club, etc. I am thankful that
these folks and organizations have been so generous and considerate of
the youth in this community. My three children have benefited and
continue to benefit from the generosity of these folks.
Due to the fact that we just don't have the available space to
get our teams on fields that suit their sport there are many times when
multiple sports share a field through the course of the same day. Soccer
and football playing on a baseball outfield, baseball players shagging
fly balls around a soccer net, or softball players not being able to use
their own field so that little leaguers have a place to practice. These
are not ideal conditions for our kids and certainly the future is not
bright for the next generation of kids to take the fields of sport.
Fortunately we have an opportunity to correct this and plan for
the future of our community. Next month, March 11th, we have the
opportunity to vote in support of Article #11 thus giving direction to
our future recreational needs. Our town is projected to grow by roughly
14% in the first 10 years of the 21st century. Approximately 25% of our
population is under the age 18. That's a lot of kids that could use a
nice place to play, compete, and enjoy the camaraderie of our community
in a central location for years to come. This is a good deal. Nearly 30
acres of land at a good price, in a great location, with a proactive
plan for growth and the future.
Having coached in our Little League and our Babe Ruth programs
over the last few years I would like to share something that only the
baseball community knows. Over the last 4 years numerous teams and
families from other towns and states have come to Goffstown to play in
Little League and Babe Ruth tournaments. Comments I have heard many
times over from these folks is how dedicated our people are to hosting a
great event, from getting the fields in top shape, committing to top
notch concession folks and menus, ample volunteers to assist folks with
whatever they need, and most of all how everyone comes together to
support the kids. This means all of the kids, regardless of whether
they're our competitive rivals from Bedford, or a resilient group of 13
year olds from Manchester, or even a team from northern Vermont who was
happy to be playing on the Dr. Allard's field of dreams. The point is
this, we have an opportunity to help secure our kids' recreational
future, a chance to create a place for the kid in all of us to enjoy,
and better yet we hold the key to unlock a central location to showcase
our community and demonstrate who we are and how we come together.
I will be at the polls on the 11th of March to vote yes on
Article #11 because it is a good deal, it's in a great location, it
fills a need we have for recreational spaces, both fields and parks.
Please get out to vote. Let the children play.
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