West Chester Council Terminates Adult Baseball League’s Lease

WEST CHESTER, PA —West Chester Borough Council on Wednesday night voted unanimously to terminate an agreement to allow the West Chester Adult Baseball League to use the field at Hoopes Park.

The decision followed complaints to Council from neighbors about balls landing on their properties and trash strewn on the park’s field

Lisa Dorsey, a councilwoman, said the league was renting the field for $1 from May to August and installed an irrigation system using the township’s water for free.

“Neighbors were saying that they hit a stone wall and kept going,” she said.

She also said there were complaints about players blowing horns at people who live there.

Charles Cooper, league director, apologized for not paying for the water for the irrigation system and following the proper channels.

He said the league would purchase bat nets to prevent balls from landing in neighbors' properties and will do whatever is required.

Cooper said he plans to attend the council meeting in July.

He also noted that he is at the field every day, and has seeded the field about five times this season.

Cooper said the irrigation system was purchased by an anonymous donor.

Cooper also noted that there are five to 10 dogs there daily running around without leashes,

Keith A. Kurowski, director of the borough’s park and recreation department, said the agreement does not indicate who is responsible for what.

“I was there last week and there were Wawa big gulp cups and empty water bottles all over the fields,” he said.

Kurowski recommended that a firm lease be prepared.