Planting a Seed (con't) Houghton Park’s field is important to the community because sports like baseball, softball, football and soccer are played there daily. Sports give people in our community a chance to exercise and compete in activities we enjoy. They provide an escape for a little while from the sometimes harsh reality that poor communities face on a daily basis, especially during the tough times we are facing now with the recession.
Houghton Park is also used for practice and games by the Jordan High School Girls softball program. They don't have a field on campus and are dependent on using the Houghton field. Virtually all other schools fielding softball teams have a field on campus. Even Compton high had a brand new softball field built on campus two years ago.
Jordan's baseball team has a small field on campus for practices and preseason games. The dimensions are too small for league games which are played at Blair Field, causing yearly costs in insurance and transportation. Blair field is a very nice, but Houghton Park has been home to Jordan for decades and they would like to have a home field that is also on the same level as Lakewood, Millikan, Wilson, Poly, Cabrillo and Compton not to mention all the other high schools in Southern California.
Generations of use have left this field in poor condition.The grass is ruined, backstops and fences have deteriorated through the years and City budget cuts have eliminated field maintenance.
Since league baseball and softball are no longer played at the park, football and soccer have moved in and with all that running on the field the grass has been reduced to a dust bowl and when it rains it’s a mud pit and then it dries creating pot holes and an un-even surface like the moon. Most of the fences and the JV dugout and field are small and outdated.
With Kellogg’s help, we can have a “Field of Dreams” – a synthetic all sports field complex that can accommodate all the sports year round.This could include changing the fences and dugouts and since we’re doing that, adding a snack bar and batting cages with storage would be great. The stands could be modified to take care of the snack bar need. Having it enclosed with new fencing and locked would help ward off those that have no business on the field unless to play or practice organized sports.
Search Window after clicking on "Search for a Nominated Field"
The restoration of this field would be a big boost to our sense of pride in our community. As a community, we need stand up and say we have had enough! We need to come together for this noble cause by taking the first step by supporting the nomination and voting for Houghton Park.
Casting your Vote
The voting process is a bit cumbersome (you'll have to click through four screens) but worth it since you are allowed to vote multiple times.
The website is slow, but once it site loads, click the “Search for a Nominated Field” button on the right side of the page. In the “Field Name” box that appears enter“Houghton Park” and then click "Search".
In the next window that opens, click the "See More Information" link next to the photo of the fence at Houghton Park.
One more window will open. Click the "Support This Field" button near the lower right corner of the window. Type in the letters that appear under the heading "Support This Field" and click submit.
A screen will open telling you that your vote has been submitted and you will be given the opportunity to print a coupon for $1 off on a purchase of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.
