Friends of the Garden City South Little League, Inc. kicked off the League's 54th season with a March 28 rally. The event, intended to show support for the area's oldest baseball/softball program, celebrated Cherry Valley's 50th year as the League's home field.

Friends of the Garden City South Little League, Inc. is a community group independent of the League itself that shares the common goal of preventing the dissolution of the League due to the threatened loss of its home field.

The Town of Hempstead leases the Cherry Valley ball fields from the Village of Garden City for Garden City South Little League (GCSLL) use. Garden City trustees back in November granted a one-year lease extension to enable the League continued use of the ball fields despite pleas from Village of Garden City baseball program officials who said their village's own teams are in dire need of those fields in order to accommodate Garden City's young players.

Garden City residents John Donachie and John Sorensen, who spoke publicly on the matter at a Garden City trustees meeting last November, believe the Cherry Valley fields should be returned to their fold for numerous reasons, including the opportunity for their players, during a 10- or 12-game season, to play some games on their home turf.

Unbeknownst to some, Garden City has been leasing the fields to the Town of Hempstead for the past 50 years. League supporters and volunteers, however, want the opportunity to continue playing, caring and maintaining the ball fields for another half century.

They rallied March 28 for the League's future, noting that a long-term deal would better establish the League and enable the League's board of directors to concentrate on running a program without looking over its shoulder year to year. League President Andrew Monteleone states on the League's official website, www.eteamz.com/GCSLL/index.cfm?, "This will be a very challenging year for the Garden City South Little League. We have many important decisions to make regarding our league's future!"

Leasing periods typically range between one and three years. The current lease extension terminates Aug. 31. According to GCSLL officials, when the Town applied for a renewal for the 2007 season, proposing a multi-year term, there was a delayed response from Garden City.

In the past, when the Town's lease expired on Aug. 31, GCSLL officials state that Garden City has granted extensions through the end of October, allowing the League to participate in a tournament that the Garden City Little League participates in as well.

That arrangement was followed in the 2006 season. However, in 2007, Garden City "made it clear," Little League officials said, to the Town that as of Sept. 1, 2008 the village would have sole use of Cherry Valley and no extensions would be granted.

Garden City Mayor Peter Bee said he has consistently given support to the GCSLL, and has pledged every effort to assure its continued existence.

Committed to finding solutions that work for both Garden City and the GCSLL, Mayor Bee continued, "Nevertheless, the growing number of young people in Garden City's athletic programs necessitates that the village find additional space for them to play. One obvious space to consider has been the Cherry Valley fields now under lease to the Garden City South Little League.

"Last Oct. 26, representatives of the Town, the village, the GCSLL and the GCAA [Garden City Athletic Association] met to try to work out a solution. I emphasized to the GCSLL folks that we did not want to hurt their kids or cause the League to go out of existence. At the same time, I told them that they needed to explore other fields to continue their program.

"It was agreed to lease the fields to Garden City South for 2008 and that the GCSLL would report back to the village this year on its due diligence in finding a new home. If the League had explored all possible alternatives and still didn't have a new home, present said they would 'do whatever was necessary' to ensure the GCSLL's continued existence, including consideration of an additional lease year (2009). However, it was also made clear that, beginning not later than 2010, the village would regain primary use of the fields. Even after 2010, however, it was understood that Garden City would not act in a way that caused the GCSLL to go out of existence, but would continue to help the children of the GCSLL on a 'space available' basis."

The mayor's support is heartening to GCSLL members. "We still regard Mayor Bee as a supporter; one whose hands have been unfortunately tied," Friends of the GCSLL members said.

According to a Town of Hempstead spokesperson, a lease is in place from opening day to Labor Day. "At this point we have an agreement until September and the village [of Garden City] has not told us that they would not be granting a new lease for the next season."

Chartered in 1954, the GCSLL's boundaries include children residing in Garden City South, Franklin Square north of Hempstead Turnpike and portions of West Hempstead.

In 1958, the League established Cherry Valley as its home field through a permit from the Town of Hempstead. The Town began leasing this property from the Village of Garden City for a period of five years at $2,500 per year.

In addition to the Cherry Valley fields, GCSLL also uses fields at John Street School, Washington Street School and Carey High School, according to Mike O'Connell, the GCSLL's umpire in chief.

At Cherry Valley though, League volunteers build and maintain the ball fields. In fact, during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, the League performed "major over-hauls" of Cherry Valley through volunteerism, sponsorship and working with the Town of Hempstead, officials noted.

GCSLL officials said a batting cage was erected; new fencing installed; a new electronic scoreboard donated by Pepsi; five-foot high weeds were cut and pulled by League members; the interior of the refreshment stand was refurbished and stocked with new equipment; the Town was petitioned for and provided weed killer, clay for the fields and painted the dugouts. There has reportedly been approximately $100,000 worth of improvements over the years.

League officials believe that this major transformation has resulted in Village of Garden City sports officials now showing interest in the ball field.

When the League got word that the use of the fields was in question, they contacted local representatives, including Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, Councilman Ed Ambrosino, Legislator Vincent Muscarella, who attended the March 28 rally, Assemblyman Tom Alfano and Senator Kemp Hannon, who the League petitioned for their input.

In December 2006 a contingent from GCSLL met with Councilman Ambrosino and Hempstead Town Parks Commissioner Joe Bentevigna. The two advised that they would negotiate with Garden City. A one-year lease was then negotiated for 2007. The terms were $16,000 from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31 of this year.

GCSLL Board of Directors members have stated that they are convinced the majority of Garden City residents, especially those who are involved in Little League, are against the proposition of ultimately taking Cherry Valley away from the GCSLL.

"The 'good neighbor' policy of Garden City has benefited children of our community for over 50 years; from Rudolph Giuliani to players we hope may one day follow his example," members of the GCSLL board of directors stated in a letter sent to Mayor Bee.

Friends of the GCSLL is poised to take "whatever action is necessary" to preserve the League for its children. Friends members said though that they do not wish to "draw a line in the sand" between their community and Garden City.

"We have many friends and relatives there; some of our children attend school and mass together. We patronize the same businesses. Rather than a line in the sand, there is but a small circle that encompasses the group who would see our children out of Cherry Valley," they said.