On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, NBC6 and Telemundo aired segments regarding 'Weston residents frustrated with reserved parks' and that a group of Weston residents are frustrated and upset that they don’t have access to sports fields at public parks. The news coverage was prompted by a YouTube video the group posted online when they were told they could not use a Rink as it was scheduled for league play.  The group had an old schedule that showed the Rink would be open. 

The City was asked to provide a statement regarding the use of the park fields.  The statement and text below, in blue, is exactly what was provided to NBC6 and Telemundo.

Weston League Sports – Field Usage

For almost 25 years, sports field usage at Weston’s parks has been managed in cooperation with the Weston Sports Alliance, Weston's all-volunteer organization to manage the organized league athletic programs in the City. Sanctioned leagues that are members of the Alliance do have priority when it comes to field access; however, the fields are available to the public daily outside league hours. The City of Weston does not operate its own recreational athletic leagues, rather the sanctioned leagues provide team sports options for Weston’s residents of all ages, primarily youth and teens.

Fields, courts and rinks are typically open to the public from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. during the week, and all day on the weekends (subject to weather conditions and maintenance). Weston does not charge for their use.

Please visit the City’s webpage on Sports Leagues for additional information. https://www.westonfl.org/government/parks-and-recreation/sports-leagues

The City recently adopted a Parks Master Plan. It includes the development of additional artificial turf fields in other City parks aside from the athletic parks. Click here to view th Weston Parks and Recreation Master Plan

The City posted the current sports league field usage schedule on the City website, as requested, before the end of the day.  That schedule changes with each sport season and is also subject to change. It is available on the City website under the Parks & Recreation section; City Parks.

Thousands of Weston parents have children in league programs run by the Weston Sports Alliance, the City's umbrella organization for all league sport programming in City parks.  

Weston, since its inception in 1996, has provided a contractual form of governance.  There are 12 City employees and all others are contracted.  In that same fashion, in lieu of the large numbers of employees in the City's Parks and Recreation Department that would be needed to run all the sports leagues (as most of our neighboring cities have) the City contracts with the Weston Sports Alliance, Inc., Weston's own all volunteer organization to manage the organized league athletic programs. 

The Alliance is made up of eleven non-profit organizations, averaging approximately 9,000 registered league participants each year in programs that offer athletes of all ages and abilities the opportunity to participate in fun-filled team sports.  Providing sports field access for the leagues is the same as another city providing fields for their city run sports programs. 

Field usage at the parks has been managed in cooperation with the Weston Sports Alliance for almost 25 years.  It is true that the sanctioned leagues (who must meet requirements such as having insurance, background checking of coaches, and paying a per-participant fee per season) have priority.  The youth leagues are, as one might expect, utilizing the fields in the after-school hours, but generally  not later in the evening.  Fields are typically open to the public from 6am to 5pm or 6pm and 9pm-10:30pm during the week. On the weekends, numerous fields are available throughout the day and Weston does not charge for their use (as many cities do if it is an organized group).

What leagues are sanctioned in the Weston Sports Alliance?

• Weston Athletic League (WAL)  - baseball
• YMCA - baseball / T-ball / flag football
• Weston Explosion - softball
• Weston Travel Ball - baseball
• Weston Field Hockey
• Weston Warriors - tackle football and cheerleading
• Weston Warriors Lacrosse
• Okapi Wanderers - rugby
• AYSO - recreational soccer
• FUTSOC - travel soccer
• Weston FC - travel soccer

The desire for more and more fields to allow access for more groups and more leagues is nothing new and likely there will never be enough as the desire for sports programming continues and grows.  

Over the long term, as part of the recently approved Parks and Recreation Master Plan, the City is planning for additional park improvements throughout the parks' system, including more artificial turf field conversions and the expansion of natural grass field space at non-athletic parks, that will help to maximize the use of the space that we do have as a City.  It is not an overnight solution, but it should provide additional access.