#7 Lark Park Debate Gets Heated – CK’s Top 10 Sports Stories of 2021

In 2021, a debate raged, and got muddy, regarding Lark Park in Chatham.

The field, which was used by a flag football league in Chatham, was being damaged, and neighbours were making noise complaints, as well as voicing concerns over public urination and alcohol consumption.

The flag football organization also was not paying for the field, had not booked it, had no insurance, and were not following COVID-19 guidelines.

The flag football group contended that the Municipality was threatening to take the league, and opportunity for youth sport from the group…while the Municipality looked to have the organization follow the same protocol, and pay for maintenance of the field and provide insurance to protect the youth involved, as all other sports groups in the Municipality do.

The debate got heated and turned into words being thrown, and accusations made across social media. It turned into a defence of the leader of the for-profit organization, and hurt feelings, rather than a look at the facts.

In the end, an agreement was made, the protocols would be followed, and the league would go on.

It was a win for the Municipality, and for the flag football organization, but it was a loss for the image of the local sports community.

The story was so hotly discussed and followed, it had to appear in our top stories of 2021.