This doesn't mention that the water district was required to find alternative ball fields for the kids to use during construction but they didn't. Also that the project was far late so the kids didn't have ball fields longer than expected. Also that the project was over budget so the initial cost/benefit analysis no longer made sense. Also that the water district kept backing off how much flood protection was actually needed when Bloch and Cuesta were taken off the table. Would they have decided that McKelvey wasn't needed if the city didn't go along with it?

But eventually the city got some nice new fields and a neighhorhood park paid for by the water district.

My kids aged out and will not be able to play on the new fields, but the park is now a gem and could easily host some major baseball tournaments. As usual the bureaucrats delivered an overpriced field paid for by district taxpayers and used by MV residents. A sweetheart deal

Not only are we safe from future floods with the improvements at McKelvey but we have a beautiful park for the neighborhood named Schaeffer Park in honor of Don Schaeffer a long time resident of St. Francis acres and former head of Park and Recreation for Mountain view.

The new field is not measured correctly. The Little League Small field is to short and not Little League approved. Snack Shack windows do not allow parents to see the field to watch their kid. Score booth also cannot see home plate and no way to know what the umpires call. Not sure if they can even hear as it has a glass window. Umpires will need to wear a microphone. The water district ruined perfectly good fields for a "maybe there might be a flood and we need to protect the neighborhood" No where is it mentioned that this project damaged some of the surrounding foundations of the homes they claimed to protect. Shame Santa Clara Water District!

“ Distance from the back of home plate to the outfield fence is a local league option, but the following distances are recommended: baseball, Major Division and below, 200 feet”

Web Link

What is the current distance?

180 ft

180 feet

The 200 foot recommendation(key word)is not mandated. If it MUST be 200 feet I could see that being an issue but I would venture a guess that many fields across the country are plus/minus that 200 foot recommendation.

Who wants to explain to the hundreds of homeowners about the importance of 20 feet of little league field after their homes are flooded out? Glad nobody will have to do that now.
The new fields are beautiful and my kid can't wait top play their in 2 years.
Playball!

The flooding of one’s home is no joke. Experienced it twice myself, and enjoyed (not) a drive to work through nearly a foot of water during the 1998 floods. Even when it’s covered by insurance, a flood is incredibly disruptive. Repairs, relocation, etc. Glad to see this project get done and hope it hasn’t been too much of an inconvenience for the ball players in the community.

Would like to see more detail on when the FEMA flood map updates will be done so we can start saving money on flood insurance. Would stink to have the projects completed and then keep paying while the certification is tied up in some bureaucratic logjam.

Anyone at opening day see the balls hitting the cement walls and almost ricocheted into the batter's head? I will not be working in the snack shack because I am not there to sell snacks. I will be there to watch my son play ball. We may switch to Pony or see about travel ball since right now McKelvey is not safe with the cement walls and foul balls bouncing back to hit the kids/umpires.

There is no real view from the snack shack to watch the kids play. Windows are up to high and there is a big sink directly below it so not even standing on a chair or stool will help.

So 2 maybe 3 workers in the snack shack can't see. What a terrible waste of the entire project. LOL!
This is a winning project because it SAVED the fields. My kid and his friends are way beyond stoked, but obviously you cannot please everyone and someone will always gripe about any negative they can dream up.
We needed the flood protection first and foremost. Wer got that AND a sparkling new field the kids are excited about.
Bye Felicia.