Take A Stand, Even If You Don't Understand

An engineers' concept for the Methacton
HS Baseball Field, from Methacton's Website

When I try to explain current issues within the current Methacton area--usually the reason why our football field doesn't have lights or something else so riveting--I try not to just paint Worcester with a broad brush, but it is almost inevitable. It usually boils down to those in charge of Worcester--or a lot of times, those who populate Worcester--are perceived as a cantankerous, overbearing Luddites who take a Tea Party-type of stance against all things that would be perceived as forward progress.

Now, please don't take me as another college-age mouthpiece who thinks they know everything. I do know everything. (That was a joke!) I have an infinite amount of respect for the way Worcester has preserved open space, and never fell for the whole "let's build cookie-cutter developments!" fad. And after attending two Worcester Zoning Board hearings, it's refreshing to see a government body make decisions using the oft-ignored vices of logic and reason.

Although it was amazing: the November meeting was where the Zoning Board was going to give their decision on the variance, and that is when the public came out en masse to show support or opposition. That's like coming out to a burnt shell of a building and telling the Fire Chief that the now-charred rubble was a fire hazard. That whole crowd could boo the zoning board to death, chuck tomatoes, and burn somebody at the stake; the decision would still stand. It's great to show support, but it's a day late, and y'all are a dollar short. 

And that goes double for the opposition.

Personally, I have a problem with sites that claim to be "the voice for the community/specific group/political party/Doctor Who fans," and are run by one person who just expresses their views. Usually, the aren't. They are just the opinions of one person who has limited knowledge of HTML. I do not do that: my site is used to do my version of reporting on Methacton politics (because until recently, The Times Herald was a waste of space in the Methacton political realm), and then put my own spin on it, not the communities spin on it. The content is produced by myself, and since I can't get Google to advertise on my site, I answer to myself.

(NOTE: If you want to advertise, let's talk.)

Regardless, when I try to produce content, albeit sparingly, I do my best to get the facts straight, which isn't the case for everyone. When you decide to talk about a topic--and this goes out to everyone--try and get all of the facts. Because if you don't and someone shows you up, it is embarrassing, and you look about as credible as facts from Facebook.

But more on this scoreboard: if you haven't been up to speed on what is happening, the Methacton High School baseball field is being renovated by J.P. Mascaro and Sons, a local waste disposal company, competently out of their pocket. Mostly because even though the baseball team has been playing really well, the field was...well, a joke. The baseline literally had a trench from rain run-off, and the field was about as even as playing One Square Tic-Tac-Toe and going second. It looked worse than the football field, and we're trying to carpet it with fake grass right now.

J.P. Mascaro decided to renovate the field, pay for it out of pocket, and asked only one thing: that the field be named Robert Childress Memorial Field. Their name isn't going anywhere, and let me italicize this for emphasis, Methacton School District isn't paying anything to put this field in. No taxpayer money is being used for this project. Just so we are clear.

The scoreboard is, yes, 36 feet by 10 feet, and yes, that is a size most commonly used by a "Division I College," as one resident put it. However, not only is the Methacton Baseball Team playing as a Division I team, the sign has also been proven to only be visible by the church that is across the street, aside from the spectators and players themselves, naturally. The sign will be painted green, and it will be treated so light will not reflect to drivers on Germantown Pike. The sign is internally lit, using LED's, and thanks to the lack of lights on the baseball field (again, italicized for more emphasis) will only be used during the daytime. 

To recap, this sign is basically free to Methacton, will only be illuminated during the daytime, and is only visible by another commercial property surrounding Methacton High School. On top of that, J.P. Mascaro's name will not be anywhere on the field. So why is there still near-venomous opposition and Luddite-like disapproval? That I still have a hard time wrapping my know-it-all mind around. (Another joke!)

To many, the "legacy" of Worcester (or realistically, the perception of a select few) is a township who is so committed to abolishing any movements forward that they are willing to refuse a good gesture by a commercial enterprise or ignore the wants of a community-at-large for the personal reservations of a few. Even if that isn't the intent, that is what it usually boils down to: that Worcester is populated with cantankerous, overbearing Luddites. And that is truly unfortunate.