Too Noisy for Neighbors : La Costa Ballgames Are Sent to New Diamonds

The voices of 30 La Costa homeowners have been heard over the cheers of hundreds of impassioned parents who yell loudly at their childrens’ softball and T-ball games in La Costa’s Cadencia Park.

For the past four summers, La Costa residents who live near the vacant green belt of grass on Cadencia Street have complained that the La Costa youth organization’s nightly softball, T-ball and baseball games at the park attract traffic and overly enthusiastic, loud parents.

“Parents get excited when their child hits a ball and plays on a team,” said Gary Cox, president of the youth group, which organizes sports for 650 children, ages 5 to 13. “The parents bring out their lawn chairs and they voice encouragement. They make more noise than the kids but I honestly don’t believe the noise level was so bad.”

Residents Complain

Describing the park as “a hot spot,” Cox said that nearby residents also have complained about the use of the park by boys’ soccer teams from Leucadia.

Andy Anderson, a representative of the homeowners, could not be reached for comment.

The complaints may end, however, as a result of a peace treaty between the two groups that was negotiated this week with the help of the Carlsbad Parks and Recreation Department, according to Keith Beverly, a spokesman for the department.

Under the agreement, the 45 youth teams will move their games to the new Stagecoach Park on Mission Estancia when the next baseball season starts in March, 1988. The teams will still be allowed to use Cadencia Park for practices but games will be played there only on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. if all other playing fields in South Carlsbad are occupied.

The agreement provides that the city will add between four and six backstops at Stagecoach Park to provide additional playing facilities, Cox said. The city also will purchase about $1,000 worth of playground equipment and barbecue grills for Cadencia Park, Beverly explained, and will assist the youth group with the scheduling of games.

Next year, the youths’ games will be played primarily at Fuerte Park at La Costa Meadows Elementary School and Levante Park.