January 18, 2007

ValleyViewpoints

Friday night lights?

Editor,
Friday night lights? I’m all for them! That’s right, FRIDAY night lights.

My husband and I moved to our current home on Shadow Brook Drive in 1983. We raised three daughters who attended Graystone, Bret Harte and Leland. Our daughters were involved in T-ball, softball, soccer, basketball, gymnastics and cheerleading. When we moved here, I never realized how much time we would be spending in our “back yard:” Leland and Bret Harte. We even had a short cut over our back fence, through the creek, to shorten our trip to the fields. We spent many hours watching sporting events on the Bret Harte and Leland fields.

I have also watched many games from my kitchen and bedroom windows. I watch the gentlemen play their Sunday “pick-up” soccer games. One of our daughters used to join them! I watch and listen to field hockey, baseball, softball and soccer year-round. Do I mind this? Not at all! After all, Leland was in my backyard when I moved here. We have even fielded a few soccer balls and golf balls in our back yard.

Daytime and summer evenings spent watching and listening to sports at Leland is OK. However, having the entire backside of my house totally illuminated by lights from the field is not OK. Last year I went to visit one of my neighbors in the evening and the temporary soccer lights (where did they come from by the way—even the school district doesn’t know!) made her kitchen so bright it was ridiculous.

I think having a few Friday night football games is great. If permanent lights are installed, however, eventually new administration at Leland will wonder why the lights are only used on Friday. They will wonder why the field is not rented out each night of the week in order to generate income.

I’m all for sports, and I enjoy listening to it during the day and evening. I’m just not in favor of lights, except for the occasional Friday night lights.

Jean Graffius
Shadow Brook Drive resident

Editor’s note: The article on the front page of this paper may answer some of the questions regarding how bright the permanent lights will be and how often they will be used.

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