Dear Editor:
Over the last four years we have had damaged vehicles and near misses due to baseballs being hit over the fence during Action Fest ball tournaments.
Each time we have been told by parks and recreation to call our vehicle insurance to pay for damages .
The last time this happened we had a good Samaritan step up and fix the $300 broken window on my wife’s minivan and then charged the parks and recreation department.
I have emailed parks and recreation and Allan Mann (organizer.) Both have told me they do not carry insurance to cover such accidents.
This field is sufficient size for middle school kids to play baseball but not heavy hitting adults.
Instead we are told by parks and recreation that we shouldn’t park in our driveway and advised not to go outside during these days?
They seem to have taken the approach of letting something happen then deal with it .
Having two small children and vehicles we have worked hard for, this idea to me is unacceptable.
An easy fix is to rent temporary netting for the tournament or use a bigger field, but every year it happens again.
This has gone beyond accidental into negligence. In fact I have now had to get the RCMP involved because it is inevitable.
I have also purchased cameras to record this ridiculousness.
I would rather just avoid the whole thing and just try and find a compromise but every year its the same thing.
Last year parks and recreation told us they had a rule about hitting over the fence but it didn’t help.
My neighbour was just about hit and our van was nearly hit with two balls landing in our back yard where our children play.
I am asking for your help this year before an incident or worse someone gets seriously hurt by this.
Ryan Parcels
Summerland