Kingston’s city council is currently debating whether to keep or remove the fence around a local baseball diamond that was put up for the Little League Canadian Championships. The fence, which also surrounds a newly constructed cricket field, was a hot topic during Tuesday evening’s meeting.
While some council members don’t view the fence as problematic, Sydenham District’s Coun. Conny Glenn believes it's time for its removal. Glenn pointed out that the city often installs temporary structures for events, and she questioned why this situation should be any different.
Originally, the fence was set up for the summer baseball tournament, with plans to take it down once the 2024 baseball season concluded. Concerns over preserving the site’s historical significance and ensuring the field's availability for public use were key reasons behind the removal plan. However, new insights and community input have led the council to reconsider. Mayor Bryan Paterson acknowledged that it’s not uncommon for the council to reverse decisions when presented with fresh information. He noted that a significant portion of the community had raised their voices, urging the council to rethink its position.
Paterson further stressed that the city had invested over $1 million in constructing the field, calling it a valuable, long-term asset for the community.
Emma Lambert from Tourism Kingston accentuated that the tournament had enabled the city to develop a top-tier Little League facility, now recognised as the best in Canada. Additionally, Tori Boshart, president of the Kingston Baseball Association, expressed concerns that without the fence, the association would be unable to host future provincial or national baseball events. The recent National Little League Championships in August generated over $2.3 million in economic benefits for the city.
Although Glenn recognised the field’s value, she raised concerns about ensuring that the community has access to the space and fulfilling previous commitments. She noted that political trust had been eroded over time, and breaking promises could deepen that distrust.
In the end, the council voted 10-3 to retain the fence until at least next summer, with plans to revisit the issue before then.