The Town of Warren and Youth Baseball Facilities

*DISCLAIMER* The following is a direct reflection of my personal opinion, although I am associated with Warren Little League I am NOT writing this on behalf of that organization.

To Whom it may concern, or anyone that will listen...

Unfortunately, there may be some that do not welcome this criticism.  For those of you that do not know or are not involved in youth sports in this town, the upkeep of youth baseball fields are the responsibility of the Town of Warren and its Department of Public Works and Recreation Board. We are lucky to get the grass cut on a weekly basis at those fields. Warren Little League receives minimal to no support from this town, which is evident in the condition of the publicly maintained fields and also the lack of baseball/softball fields in town. WLL has 14 baseball teams spread over 4 divisions of play that are forced to utilize 3 fields, one of which being a softball field and the other field on Water Street being maintained solely by WLL volunteers and funds secured by WLL because the field is located on private property (). Which I may add in my opinion is the best kept field in town. Not to mention WLL spent in excess of $15,000 of its own money and privately secured donations to rehabilitate the Senior League ball field located at Burrs Hill Park with the blessing of the town and also the DPW, only for the town to totally let the fields upkeep go after just one season, the field has yet to be brought back to its rehab'd state with MANY empty promises from the DPW. 

Warren Little League continues, year in and year out to spend thousands of dollars on these fields that are the responsibility of the Town of Warren, sometimes spending so much of it's own money that we have to minimize the purchase of equipment for the teams.  As a matter of fact, 2 seasons ago, after WLL's rehabilitation of , the baseball team started utilizing Burr's Hill for their home games, because the town maintained baseball facility located at Veterans Field became more and more neglected.

Most people in town are unaware that the KMS baseball team now has to bus their kids to Colt State Park to play home games because Burrs Hill has been deemed unplayable by the KMS Athletic Department. Along with Warren Little League, the KMS girls softball team utilizes the softball field at Warren Recreation Park for their after school practices and also home games, BUT I hope none of the young ladies on the softball team have to use the restrooms at Warren Rec Park during practice or games, because if you haven't noticed yet, those are completely out of order as well. We have visiting teams coming in from out of town to play baseball and softball and our coaches are forced to tell visiting players and parents that we have no facilities for them to use.

WLL has many dedicated and passionate volunteers that do everything in their power to keep the fields in playable condition, unfortunately the Town of Warren  is not as dedicated to the youth baseball program in this town.  Town officials need to be made aware of and held accountable for such neglect.