By Sofia Montoya-Deck
Hood College will no longer be considering Max Kehne Park as a potential new baseball field, according to an email sent from Interim President Debbie Ricker on Nov. 20.
“Based on overwhelming negative feedback from the surrounding community, we have decided to withdraw our proposal for Max Kehne and explore other options,” Ricker said in the email.
The news disappointed members of the baseball team.
“I think it’s unfortunate that we were unable to come to an agreement with the City of Frederick,” senior pitcher Frank Spaide said. “With this falling through, it definitely raises a big problem for the baseball organization.”
In October, Hood’s Board of Trustees signed a letter of intent with the City of Frederick to move forward with Max Kehne as a new home field. The partnership was to result in a shared public/private field that would require the current softball field at Max Kehne to be reconstructed into a baseball venue that meets NCAA field requirements.
Community members were quick to express their grievances with this plan, citing traffic, light and sound pollution and parking problems as just some of their many worries.
On Nov. 7, a Facebook page called “Save Max Kehne Park” was created. As listed on the page, the group’s goal is to “share information and organize to find a cooperative solution instead of being bullied into a hostile takeover of our public space.”
Other community voices took to writing letters to the Frederick News-Post. “These plans will result in lowering our quality of life, diminishing residents’ ability to enjoy the park and their homes, damaging our health, and lowering property values,” an opinion published Nov. 15 by local resident Dennis Barrow stated. “The people living near Hood College and Max Kehne Memorial Park are being overlooked and ensnared in a process replete with bad faith and devoid of transparency that gives no consideration to the well-being of the people who would be most affected,” he added.
Hood held two neighborhood listening sessions on Nov. 4 and 12, where community members could offer feedback regarding the school’s plans to refurbish Max Kehne. The first public forum recorded an attendance of about 80 people. “At both meetings, we heard your concerns and strong opposition to this project,” Ricker said in an email to community members. “We have therefore decided not to advance our proposal to the City of Frederick for consideration.”
“I feel like it should be a surprise, but it’s not,” Spaide said of the decision. The team has been hearing about the potential of a new home field since the start of the semester. “It was only an idea, but then it had started to almost become reality until the recent news was released,” Spaide added.
The Blazers have played home games at Frederick Community College (FCC) since their inaugural season in 2015 and will continue to play there through the 2025 season. However, the FCC contract is unlikely to be renewed beyond that.
According to the Frederick News-Post, in light of the recent decision, Hood will continue exploring other field options, such as McCurdy Field and Loats Park, both properties of the City of Frederick.
An op-ed authored by Ricker regarding the decision to discontinue pursuing Max Kehne will be published by the Frederick News-Post on Saturday, Nov. 23.
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