Dear Editor:
I read with great interest the article written by Theresa McManus entitled "Cities crack down on little league signs" in the Jan. 25 edition of The Record. I am the president of the New Westminster Minor Softball Association (NWMSA) and share the same concerns, not only of Little League, but of many of the other non-profit minor sports associations in New Westminster.
As with the other minor sports organizations, registration is the lifeblood of our existence. With more and more opportunities being afforded our children to participate in minor sports, so does the importance of getting our information readily available to the public during registration.
The cost of advertising, whether it be an ad in newspapers, flyers or signs, is expensive. Minor sports organizations are saddled with the dilemma of trying to be cost-effective and still get their message out to the greater community.
I understand and appreciate the city's policy regarding signs that can contribute to an unsightly appearance in the community. There must be some sort of compromise that could be reached through negotiations between the city and the minor sports organizations to allow the temporary relaxation of this policy. I would hope that the city could see the benefit of increased participation and help support the children.
One suggestion could be to relax the policy for three times during the year for three weeks during registration for the particular sport(s). The city could request that each minor sport wanting to post signage could do so with an agreed number of signs at predetermined locations, as well as post a performance bond that would be refundable if all signs were removed on time.
As the president of NWMSA, I would gladly meet with the other minor sports organizations and the city to see if some sort of compromise could be reached.
Brian Joe, president, New Westminster Minor Softball Association
