As discussed at the last city council meeting on July 19, the rugby team players and sport(s) team supporters stated that they would like to use City Park for their rugby games. The stated that their children could use and be occupied at the kiddie playground, and, also, the team could use the showers after the game(s).

I am in favour of keeping City Park as it is. The lawns of City Park are designed and manicured for people to sit on and walk on only - rugby footwear has cleats embedded into the shoes which are non-removable. This gives the players traction and prevents them from falling/sliding on a rain-slicked field. Their shoe cleats would dig into the lawn, abrasively shred the grass, and eventually ruin the lawn surface.

I don't think the RV park and tenting ground tenants would appreciate sharing the hot water with the rugby team. Especially when the tenants of the RV park and tenting ground are paying for the use of the washrooms and showers as part of the fee for staying at the park. The rugby team or any other team would be robbing the RVers, the campers and the tenters of their privacy to the washrooms and showers, as well. They would probably be bothered by all the cheering and camaraderie. The City of Grand Forks may lose revenue because the RV park patrons are not happy about the lack of privacy, noise pollution and hot water issues. Not to mention all the other City Park people who enjoy the park, as well.

Perhaps the solution for the rugby team is to have their games at Hutton Elementary School. There is a football field at the back of the school that is not in use most of the time except for when school is in session. There is, also, a kiddie playground at the back of the school. Ask the City of Grand Forks to install/maintain port-a-potties or ask them if they would build a public washroom near the field. The football field is not used in the summertime nor is it used on the weekends. As for taking a shower, go home and take a shower.

Why build a new park when there are existing fields that are not being utilized?