Frederick residents express concerns about possible Hood College baseball field

Residents living near Hood College expressed concerns and opposition on Monday at a public forum to discuss a plan to add a college baseball field in Max Kehne Memorial Park in Frederick.

About 80 people attended the forum at Hood College. Several residents spoke during a public comment period about similar concerns, like safety and an increase in traffic, lights and noise in the area.

The school's baseball team has played at Frederick Community College's field since 2015. A 10-year agreement will end after the Blazers' upcoming 2025 season and there is no agreement to continue. Both schools have said they are open to exploring options.

The baseball season runs from February to April.

At the beginning of the meeting, interim President Debbie Ricker gave attendees a brief overview of the college's ideas of the park. She told residents there was not a lot of information to share as staff members develop a feasibility study and design plans.

The site at the park is currently a softball field. Since the park is owned by the city of Frederick, the college would have to work with the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

Ricker added that the park would remain a city park, and the baseball field would be an addition to the park.

She saidinput from the community is "critically important" to the college and that staff members are working "to be as considerate of your feedback as possible."

Community members were shown an aerial view of the park to illustrate where the field would be. Residents said they wanted to see and hear more details, though, such as a rendering of what the field could look like and if there will be a sound system.

Dennis Barrow, a resident who lives on Fairview Drive, next to the park, said during the forum that Hood College's process for the field was backwards. He said the college did not provide any information about the field specific enough to respond to.

"It would have been really helpful to structure this where you had a lot of information for us, so we could make an educated decision and give you helpful feedback," he said.

Barrow mentioned an increase in traffic, light pollution and noise as concerns for neighboring residents if the field were added, making neighbors' lives worse.

"We're dealing with real people here," Barrow said. "We're dealing with people who have lives, people who have children, people that are old, like me."

Terry Winn, a resident who has lived on Culler Avenue for nearly 25 years, said her children grew up playing in the park, and there is a pathway through the park where she often sees some residents who attended the forum.

She said she is concerned that the path will be removed if the college moves forward with the field.

Winn added that fly balls would be a safety concern for other people in Max Kehne Park and said the college would need a large net around the field.

"I know you want it to be a community park and a baseball field, but I really don't see how that can be if you have to put nets and fences and locks," she said. "We walk through that park all the time. If there are balls going at 90 miles an hour, someone is going to get hurt."

Tim Martin, president of the East Frederick Little League, said for nine months out of the year, his league uses the field right next to the potential Hood baseball field for practices and games.

Martin said his biggest concern with the potential project is safety. He said the home team bleachers for his field face away from the other field, and that fly balls could hurt parents, little kids and players.

"If this field goes in, that safety has to be addressed," Martin said.

He added that he is concerned about the limited parking options available.

Laurie Ward, vice president of marketing and communications for the college, has said there is no timeline and the next steps would be to have an engineer or architect evaluate the site.

On the city of Frederick website, "Hood College/Max Kehne Park" is listed as a topic for a Dec. 11 mayor and board of aldermen workshop.

Residents also suggested other options for the baseball field, such as an auxiliary field at Harry Grove Stadium, the home of the Frederick Keys.

But Helen Propheter, the director of corporate and government relations for the college, said the water for the field does not turn on until the middle of March, which makes it not a good option.

After nearly an hour and a half of public comment, Ricker wrapped up the forum by saying the college is still looking at other sites to build their field.

"We feel this is a feasible option to continue exploring, but it's not the only option that we're exploring," she said to the attendees.

Robert Klinedinst, vice president for finance at Hood College, said the process to get approval from the board of aldermen will include workshops, hearings and other opportunities for the public to speak about the project.

There will be another public forum on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Whitaker Campus Commons at Hood College.

Ricker said at this point, the college is unsure when the field would be built.

"I am really sorry that, for those of you who came out tonight expecting a rendering, three-dimensional models and things of that sort, that is not where we are," she said to the crowd at the forum. "I apologize if we gave you the impression that that's where we are."