There's already at least one discussion on the topic of a stadium in Frame Park for a Northwoods League team, so I won't start one here. But because it's outcome could affect most everyone who goes Downtown, it's important that those who would have an opinion after it's built speak up now, before it's approved.
My opinion is it should be built in Frame Park as presented. I'm aware of much of the discussion and saw many valid questions raised during the Committee of the Whole. There are probably as many opinions as there are people opposed to it, and by my not living very close to it my opinion shouldn't really matter, but...
If we don't want to sit in traffic or continue to send entertainment dollars out of town to Miller Park...
If we want to see more out-of-towners in our downtown...
If we'd like to see quality affordable baseball...
I've thought about all the times I've headed east for entertainment. Variety, quality, opportunity. And I've thought about the reasons for not having a small baseball stadium at Frame Park. Litter, noise, lack of parking, traffic. We could pass every opportunity that came along and get all our entertainment from Milwaukee, or we could think of new ways to enliven our city.
Milwaukee has a shortage of street parking yet still looks to develop parking lots into more hotels. A stadium in Frame Park is within walking or biking distance of the highest concentration of people in Waukesha. Most of the attendees of the games would be families - not the worst litter offenders. It likely would be noisy, but almost all games would be over by 10:00 p.m.
The lighting will be improved to greatly reduce stray light and the footprint of the ball field would hardly encroach on the park. I'm not a huge user of Frame Park but I know it's already a mixed use park. There's already trails, natural areas, playground, recreation building, volleyball and baseball. If the park were a nature center or if any of the existing uses were removed to make room for the stadium I'd have reservations about it. The stadium would not substantially change Frame Park.
As this proposal moves through the various committees and the City Council I feel the right thing will be done in the end. If everyone opposes it we'll just continue spending too much money too far from home on baseball.
************************on another matter*********************
The city would like to see your ideas on it's Strategic Planning Survey. Time is short - they'd like you to take it by this Wednesday the 6th! It's a good way to tell the city where we'd like to see it in five years and what to do when money is in short supply. What service would you be willing to sacrifice and which ones can't you live without? If nothing else it gets you thinking.
