New Westminster Little League is struggling to promote registration as signs have been removed from New Westminster and Burnaby locales.
The New Westminster Baseball Association said two signs informing the public about upcoming registration for Little League were removed from sites in Burnaby. It's promoted registration in that community for years because South Burnaby is within the New Westminster Baseball Association's boundary.
The association is also frustrated that signs posted in New Westminster have been removed. It had posted registration signs on the Justin Morneau Field's batting cage and on the field's backstop fence in Moody Park.
"I understand that the city may not want signs up for an extended period of time but considering the amount of money associations like ours put back into the community through park upgrades, and considering the importance of recreational sports to the wellbeing of our kids, all we want is the city's cooperation in promoting registration," said association president Ron Suffron in a press release. "Give us some rules we can live with."
New Westminster Minor Baseball paid for the batting cage at Justin Morneau Field. It's also helped fund other projects at the field.
Suffron said this year marks the first time that signs posted on the fence of Edmonds Community School in Burnaby and on a corner lot at McBride Boulevard and 10th Avenue were removed in Burnaby.
"It seems odd," he said. "This is the first year that something like this has happened."
According to the press release from New Westminster Baseball, New Westminster's policy has left many volunteer-run, not-for-profit, minor sports organizations in a quandary as to how to promote themselves in a cost-effective way.
Dean Gibson, the City of New Westminster's director of parks, culture and recreation, said the city has a longstanding policy of not posting signs in any of New Westminster's parks, and sports organizations in the city are well aware of that policy. He said the proliferation of signs at different times of the years contributes to an unsightly appearance so they're removed when they are posted, something that's done infrequently because organizations are aware of the city's policy.
While one sign alone isn't unsightly, he said signage can detract from the beauty of the community when numerous signs are posted around the city. In addition to sports groups, dance schools and arts and cultural groups have also expressed an interest in posting signage on city property.
Gibson noted that soon after a sign for baseball registration went up in Moody Park, the city received a call from a different sporting organization asking if the city had changed its policy regarding signage.
"It opens the door that takes us down a path that we are not equipped to manage," he said.
Gibson said the city isn't unsympathetic of the needs to community sports organizations to promote registration. He noted that registration information can be posted on the city's readerboard at Sixth Avenue and McBride, posters can be displayed in community centers, and facilities have accepted registration paperwork for some organizations.
"We are happy to work with associations that want to try and get their word out," he said.
Some sports groups have been known to post registration signs in prominent locations in the city, which are located on residential properties.
"If you think back to our municipal, provincial and federal election campaigns, our parks and public spaces are free even of election signs," Gibson said. "We are not just singling out sports groups. We try to be consistent in that application."
