Wyndhill Park: Use for Soccer and Lacrosse

The Springfield Soccer Club (also representing the Springfield Lacrosse Club) has an ever-growing need for fields for practices and games (see Soccer Fields). They requested permission to donate the value of renovating the open field at the Wyndhill Park for use as an active recreational area. Read letter from the Soccer Club.

A letter was mailed to 34 area residents stating that "the project is in the very early planning stage" and asking for feedback on the plan to revive the athletic fields at Wyndhill Park.

At the June 6, 2011 workshop meeting of the Board, the Board was presented with only three responses to that letter. One in favor, one opposed, and one neutral. The board agreed by consensus to move forward and so, at the August workshop meeting, the room was packed and a lengthy, respectful exchange of ideas led to the decision to create a smaller working group to learn more about the needs, recommendations, and alternatives, and to look for a solution.

For Passive Use

Those who favor passive use and oppose active use of the park cite these concerns:

• Loitering/hanging out - attractive nuisance
• Safety
• Traffic - increased volume and speeding
• Lack of parking at site
• Parking on surrounding streets
• Neighborhood preservation
• Open space preservation
• Possible violation of permitted uses in A Residential Zoning District
• Lack of communication between Twp. and residents
• Stormwater drainage/run-off
• Negative impact on value of homes
• Noise
• Trash/litter
• Loss of peace and quiet
• Converting use will take away other/current uses
• No longer will be used as green space/open space
• What is the intended level of use and improvements (i.e. users, times of use, lighting, snack stand, portable bathrooms, etc.)
• Air pollution from increased traffic
• Neighborhood streets cannot support intensity of travel and physical abuse by the public
• Negatively impact residents' investments
• Bad timing of public meetings - people on vacation
• Tree removal
• Quality of life issues
• Stray balls entering private property
• Waste of township resources
• Will take away natural habitat for wildlife
• Incorrect land planning process
• Negative social and environmental impacts
• Today's youth don't need more organized activities

For Active Use

Those in favor of the proposed use for an athletic field cite the following:

• Appropriate to provide children access to sports (childhood obesity, etc.)
• Youth sports programs are good for the community
• Traffic congestion, parking problems and noise are not legitimate concerns
• 250 children are served by the soccer club
• Field areas are scarce in Springfield Township
• No cost to the Township
• The regrading of the field is necessary now, and the regrading will also improve an existing stormwater runoff issue.

Some Questions Answered

These four concerns/questions were addressed by staff (see following):

1. Number and age of anticipated users
2. Hours and days of use
3. Issues regarding parking
4. Parties responsible for supervision

Staff responded to these with the following information:

1. Most often, one team at a time, with 15 to 20 children and a couple of coaches. The ages are 6 to 14 years of age. The field is too small for High School age children. When games are played there, these numbers would of course double.
2. Weekdays, early evening; Saturdays, most of the day; Sundays, afternoons.
3. We have access to 25 parking spaces at the Professional Center. Game day "crowds" could overflow onto the adjacent streets.
4. The park is owned by the Township, so concerns would be referred to our Director of Parks and Recreation.

Public Park/Recreation Land Inventory (Table 10, pp 81-82)

• Municipal Park
  • Laurel Beech Park
  • Mermaid Park
  • Veterans Park
  • Wyndhill Park
  • Cisco Park
  • Bysher Fields
  • Marlow Fields
  • Oreland Park
  • Sandy Run Park
  • Flourtown Golf Club
• Public Schools
  • Enfield Elementary School
  • Erdenheim Elementary School
  • Antonelli Institute (formerly Penn Manor Elementary School; property is owned by the School District and leased to Antonelli)
  • Springfield Township Middle School
  • Springfield Senior High School
• Private Schools
  • Carson Valley Children's Aid
  • Mount St. Joseph Academy
  • La Salle College High School
  • Laverock Phil-Mont Christian Academy
  • Holy Martyr’s School
  • St. Genevieve School
• Other Recreation Areas
  • Sandy Run Country Club
  • North Hills Country Club
  • Morris Arboretum

Parks under 5 acres (Wyndhill is 4.5 acres) are referred to as Mini Parks (p. 85)

Lacrosse — The Spartan Lacrosse Club provides youth lacrosse programming in the Township. The program is growing and participation has more than doubled in one year from 140 to 286. The club currently uses the informal open field in Wyndhill Park. As community parks are developed, field fields should be developed for multiple sports to include lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey. (p. 90)

Park Description (pp. 94-95)

Opportunities (Table 10, p. 101)

While undeveloped land remaining in the Township is limited, there are some opportunities that could be solutions to adding parkland. Significant properties that have potential for expanding parks and recreation in the township include the:

• Dixon property — preserved as open space, with the Whitemarsh Foundation
• Flourtown Country Club — about 53 acres, this township-owned site is leased for use nine hole golf course, outdoor swim club, and renovated banquet facility.
• Antonelli property — about 11.5 acres, this site owned by the Springfield Township School District.
• Seven Dolors Church — 1.6 acre. The site is most attractive for its buildings that could be evaluated for indoor recreation purposes.
• Girl Scout Camp — the 135 acre Miquon Girl Scouts Camp is located in the Panhandle section of the township. The Girl Scouts have been selling off camps. Recycling this camp into a public park has great potential for Springfield Township.
• The Carson Valley School in Flourtown has undeveloped land

Wyndhill Park is a location where the vegetation between the playground and picnic area should be opened up to the adjacent parking area to provide improved visual access and safety. (p. 109)

Complete a master plan and improve Wyndhill Park. This park offers a nice playground setting and the anticipated renovations to the open lawn into an athletic field will address a high need facility of the organized sports groups. (p. 113)

Trail links: In Springfield Township, links should be explored to connect the Springfield Free Library, Laurel Beech Park, Veterans Park, Wyndhill Park, Cisco Park, Antonelli School and other school and community destinations. (p. 122)

Park improvement projects include: (p. A4)

• Landscape enhancements
• Develop a multipurpose field
• Resurface the tennis courts and connect to the parking area
• Develop a loop trail that encircles the playground and picnic areas and extends to the adjacent street sidewalks.
• Expand the playground to be age-segregated and install a small pavilion near the playground.

Proposed Park and Recreation Improvements