Letter: Volleyball complex would create chaos for area

Posted 6/4/23

To the editor:

I am responding to your article, “From town dump to sports Oasis”?

As a longtime Portsmouth resident, I am familiar with this area. AP Enterprises would be …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Letter: Volleyball complex would create chaos for area

Posted

To the editor:

I am responding to your article, “From town dump to sports Oasis”?

As a longtime Portsmouth resident, I am familiar with this area. AP Enterprises would be creating chaos for the residents if this proposed sports complex is approved. 

The Park Ave Enhancement Committee was established years ago. A group of volunteers worked for years with several entities to enhance and establish a quiet, peaceful place in this small section of Island Park with small residential lots in a densely populated area. 

Through hard work, this committee accomplished its goals by installing beautiful Victorian street lights and park benches along Park Avenue for the sole purpose of allowing people to looking over the water to quietly rest and escape from the rat race and noise. They used this beautiful area to reflect while collecting their thoughts. 

There are walkers, joggers, dog walkers, bicyclers and mothers strolling with their children along the sea wall and resting on the benches overlooking the Sakonnet River.

In June, July, and August, and flowing into September we experience an invasion of people mainly from Massachusetts. They flood the beaches, parking on both sides of Park Avenue and setting up their equipment under the trees near the entrance to the dumpsite. While adults rest under the trees, their children run back and forth across Park Avenue to the beach.

Twice daily, in the morning and toward evening, caring neighbors pick up after what theses visitors leave behind. It’s just an exercise they take upon themselves in order to keep this area safe, clean and enjoyable for all. They show their love and care for this community and are dedicated in preserving and protecting it. So, from all of us, we extend a huge, thank you!

In the same light, Arthur Palmer’s proposal for a volleyball facility, will be another continuous invasion with no consideration for this community.

Traffic will be bottlenecked on Park Avenue and Boyd’s Lane with additional cars, vans and buses. 

The constant noise from the sound system with announcements, music, yelling and shouts from seven in the morning to eight in the evening, seven days a week, nine months of the year, every year, will leave us all without one minute of peace!

Approximately 150 players will be visiting the site daily, including regular tournaments, leagues and clinics. We should also expect at the site large numbers of people, including spectators, volunteers and food trucks. Use your own imagination.

Arthur Palmer claims to be downsizing his private club to get zoning approval. But in reality, his own statements indicate his intention for expansion.

The June 15, 7 p.m.  zoning board (meeting) is your opportunity to voice your views. 

This will be chaos, and not an “Oasis,” for the community!

Debra Faber

99 Summit Road

Portsmouth

Faber is a former member of the Park Ave Enhancement Committee.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.