Fireworks leave damage on baseball field in Commerce Township
A group of volunteers who oversee multiple baseball fields at Maple Glen Park in Commerce Township, Michigan, say one of their fields experienced damage over the weekend after someone lit off fireworks.
Commerce Little League tells CBS News Detroit that fireworks have been set off on Henderson Field twice this month. It's an issue board members say is getting out of hand.
"We thought it was a one-time incident, but it's the second time, and it's getting quite frustrating," said board member Ariela Satterlee.
Satterlee says that on Saturday, the group of solely volunteers was left with a mess.
"There's no cameras there so we're unable to see who's actually doing it since it is a public park. We've done several social media outreaches to figure out what's going on," Satterlee said.
Satterlee tells CBS News Detroit that burn marks were left at the bases, and holes were scattered on the field. Remnants of fireworks were still in the dirt as of Monday.
"Requires a lot of the volunteer's time to take time out of their day to clean that up. It's replacing the bases, redoing the lines, just putting holes in the field and trying to fill them up and try to make them even and safe for our players," said Satterlee.
While there was only minor damage, Satterlee says that if this issue continues, the destruction could become more significant, forcing the group to spend more on repairs.
"The fences can get damages, the dug outs can be damaged, potentially the game changer cameras that we worked hard with to help other players' families watch when they're not available," Satterlee said.
The Little League says no police report was filed, but they did touch base with the township.
CBS News Detroit reached out to Supervisor Larry Gray to find out what steps were being taken to address the ongoing issue. We were sent the following statement:
"Fireworks are not permitted within Commerce Twp Parks, in addition the park hours per Twp Ordinance is Dusk to Dawn. We have notified the Oakland County Sheriff of the issue and asked them to patrol the park in the evenings."
In the meantime, Commerce Little League remains hopeful that those behind these fireworks will consider the impact of their actions and is pleading with them to stop before the damage worsens.
"Be mindful, it's a community park. There's a lot of kids and families that utilize this park. It's not just a league. It brings a lot of people and families together, and it's something that, unfortunately, is not creating a great memory for everyone right now," said Satterlee. "We're more than welcome to have a conversation with anyone who's behind it. We would just ask to please stop."
