Shedding Light on Cougar Field

Cougar Field is in a tough spot. Though technically located in El Cerrito, it belongs to the Albany Unified School District. Albany voters decide what happens to Cougar Field, and both El Cerrito and Albany citizens feel the results—good and bad—of these decisions.

And so now Cougar Field is the center of an important struggle for Albany students, with a central question being, “How much improvement is necessary for Cougar Field, how much is desirable, and how can we—as students, parents, teachers, and citizens—ensure that Cougar Field is a ‘good neighbor’?”

The Albany Unified School District wants to completely revamp Cougar Field, installing an artificial track and field, new lights for night games and practices, a new sound system, new bathrooms and locker rooms, a snack bar, and a custodian’s residence, as well as some standard electrical and water refurbishments.

So what’s the issue here? Ask three people and you will hear three different responses.

AUSD Superintendent Dr. William Wong said that a key issue and argument for the lights rests with the students. “Hundreds of students are missing one to one-and-a-half hours of class time several times per week,” to practice and play sports, he said. Building permanent lights would allow for both evening home games and evening practices, giving students time to get ready for these events after school.

Tyler Zupan, boys varsity soccer team captain, remarked that, “Essentially, we have four [soccer] teams playing on our field. There’s not enough time for everyone to play and practice.”

Cougar Field’s closest neighbors live on Behrens Street in El Cerrito and Spokane Avenue in Albany, and many of these neighbors are not in favor of the proposed lights and sound system and the night games they bring.

The problem, as summarized by Albany resident and Cougar Field neighbor Ellen Hershey, is neither the refurbishment nor the evening practices; it is the extensive night use and the noise for games, parking shortages, possible drinking or other public safety problems, and energy use of those events. “You can close a curtain,” she said, “but the sound is more invasive.”

Although Hershey moved into her home long before Cougar Field was next door, several other neighbors said that the field was one of their reasons for buying their home. “We wanted the house because of the field,” said Michael Graf, who has two young children. “But did the field have a history of nighttime use? No.” He added, “It’s like saying, ‘Well, you moved in next to a house!’ if your neighbor is going to add four stories. Well, yes, we did move in next to a house, but not that one. The degree is what it comes down to.”

Despite the potential problems that evening events could bring to Cougar Field neighbors, Albany citizens involved with sports maintain that some evening events are necessary. Especially during the winter months, when the soccer team plays and practices, it is impossible to fit all events in before nightfall.

The DEIR (Draft Environment Impact Report) predicted hundreds of evening uses of Cougar Field, during fall, winter, and spring seasons. Dr. Wong said that one of the proposed mitigations for the conflict is to allow events until 7:00 p.m. If a game ends at 7:00, the lights would remain on for about an hour afterward to allow people to leave. Another possible solution is to reach a strict use agreement, in which neighbors and school officials would decide and agree upon a schedule.

“There’s going to be sound while I’m putting my kids to bed and reading them stories,” said Winslow of the games at 8:00. “If we didn’t have kids, I probably wouldn’t care as much.”

Behrens neighbor Mani Feniger raised her concerns about safety. The Albany police department does not respond to calls for Cougar Field; the El Cerrito police department does. “This is a misuse of El Cerrito tax and protection services,” she said. Feniger also worries that AUSD is too quick to dismiss the issues of safety. “Not paying attention to the problems is a sure indication that they will not be dealt with,” she said.

It is highly likely that the Behrens Neighborhood Association will file a lawsuit. According to Dr. Wong, the standard procedure for filing these types of lawsuits is claiming fault with the EIR. “Everyone has the right to file suit,” he said, “but very few really win.”

Both Albany and El Cerrito representatives are upset with the current diplomacy situation. Behrens neighbors feel that the School District shows no sign of having listened to their voices, while those involved in Albany worry that the Behrens neighbors don’t understand their plight. Although Behrens neighbors met with school board members last year, neighbors say that the Board didn’t change any plans.

Ellen Hershey, who moved into her home on Spokane in 1978—when the Albany Middle School/ Cougar Field complex was an abandoned lumberyard—remembers when Albany Middle School was built. The North Albany Association helped negotiate some of the plans for AMS, and neighbors saw tangible change, such as the moving of the gym to the side near the BART tracks. Hershey said carefull that, “I have been concerned that the school district—from what I can see—has not adopted the same negotiating stance that is characteristic of a healthy civic life.”

After Albany voters approved ballot measure A in 2005, the Cougar Field planning began. About a year ago school board members Charlie Blanchard and David Glasser met with Behrens neighbors to discuss the plans.

At the end of 2006 an Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was drafted that showed the anticipated effects of the plan. In NOVEMBER? Dr. Wong held a hearing at the Albany Middle School gym to let everyone voice their concerns about the DEIR’s predicted impacts. Dr. Wong accepted comments until December 18, at which point he began reviewing the comments to make his recommendation to the School Board. The Board will meet February 17th at 9:00AM to gather more opinions and make their final decision. All are encouraged to attend this meeting. “The Board looks to the students for some guidance and would like their feedback,” said Dr. Wong.

4 Responses

1. 12:00 AM on January 27th, 2007lol:

   This fool in the picture is so emo…

2. 3:08 PM on January 28th, 2007damn:

   fuckin article, hella long

3. 8:42 AM on January 29th, 2007Anonymous:

   cougar field is an awful neighbor, always partying and being loud! gosh i wish it would go away before i call the police!

4. 4:02 PM on July 7th, 2007the best that ever did it.:

   willy wong is a joke. how long has this fool been our superintendant and he just now doing something about our field. his actions really show that he dont really care about whats going on in albany.

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