Peace on Earth at Parks Commission Meeting

The spirit of the holiday season descended early on the Parks and Recreation Commission as an expected battle over field scheduling for the coming year failed to materialize.

At the commission’s November meeting, Bud Schaetzle, from the La Cañada Baseball Club, complained that his teams had been shut out from time on the junior varsity field by the La Cañada Sports Coalition. Coalition members said every effort was made to accommodate all groups.

The commission has depended in the past on the coalition, a group of local sports teams, to do the scheduling, with city approval.

At this month’s meeting, Bob Buddenbolm of the coalition said the issue had been resolved. Louis Bilowitz requested some time in the spring for his girls’ soccer players, but said he would accept whatever time he could get. The commission will formally adopt the schedule in January.

On another issue which drew debate in the past, commissioner Keith Tobias said he did not intend to pursue the issue of changing the park reservation policy to limit use by outside groups.

The commission decided to take up in February a proposal for a professional bicycle race in the city.

--By Charles Cooper