Anybody Up For A Game of Bocce?
At Monday's BOT meeting, the question was asked whether the bocce courts are needed.
At the Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 9, a proposal brought to Trustee Nancy Gould was discussed that would eliminate the bocce courts by the duck pond and give the area to the River Greenway committee.
Bocce is a sport where players place a pole, known as a jack, on a rectangular court and attempt to through bocce balls towards the pole. The balls are usually made of metal. The goal of the game is to get your bocce ball closest to the jack.
According to Gould, Saratoga Associates has asked to use the space in future planning. Gould said that South Orange Recreation Director Kate Schmidt hasn’t seen anyone play bocce on the courts “in years.”
South Orange released a statement on their website on Jan. 26 that named some options to "refresh the area around the Skate House and Duck Pond," including the bocce courts.
"We are trying to assess the level of community interest in seeing the bocce courts made serviceable again," the statement said. "Please share your thoughts and ideas for making this a lively multi-generational recreation space. Some ideas being considered include all-weather ping pong tables, chess/checker tables, replacement tables and benches, or lawn restoration."
This has lead Patch to ask residents in its latest Patch poll, do you play bocce in South Orange? Some residents may not even know we have bocce courts. Some residents may not have been observed playing. Maybe the area really could be used for better use.
Residents with comments on this issue may email Kate Schmidt, director of recreation and cultural affairs for South Orange.
Vote below and feel free to leave a comment.
Nancy Gould
11:30 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Thanks so much for printing this. If anyone wants to speak to me directly about this, shoot me an email at ngould@southorange.org.
Maia Gilman Architect
11:39 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
My eight year old son plays there and even brings his own bocce set. We'd be sad to see the space go. Perhaps is could be shared with other uses.
kirk barrett
11:53 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012
What happened to our town's recreation advisory committee?
They should be discussing issue like this.
Marilyn Weiner Kohan
3:44 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
The group that used to constantly use the bocce courts is sadly missed. Those courts have been a special part of the flavor of South Orange. I am delighted to hear that there are children using the courts!
Michelle S
8:37 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
If the bocce courts were cleaned and refreshed on a regular basis, you'd probably see a lot more activity. There is a skate house, but I've never seen it open in the 5 years I've lived in this town... not to mention anyone skating on the pond. In fact that entire area seems neglected... and the pond could use a cleaning, it is so muddy and stagnant that the smell it emits and the bug situation is out of control on nice days... and Im not going to get started on the amount of goose poop that is not cleaned up. To quote the director as saying she hasn't seen anyone playing in the area in years is misleading... The courts are run down and you can't use it in the condition its in today, if it were kept up, and the area around it kept up, people would come back. The area needs to be cleaned and refreshed, its a beautiful public space, it adds value to the town, to let it go to waste is just a shame.
Daria Knarvik
11:48 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012
I agree with Michelle 100%. This used to be a vibrant rec area with a regular group of players and supporters when the town maintained it. Growing up my daughter loved playing there. It was a nice way for different generations in town to share quality time together. The rec director, Kate, may try refurbishing the courts and then observing whether people use them or not.