A large rubber ball will fly through the air again in the Old North End neighborhood in Colorado Springs on Monday night, as a controversial street kickball game resumes — this time legally.
“Our goal is just to play kickball,” said Ed Snyder, one of the organizers of Kids Summer Kickball.
This is the fourth year that 20 to 30 kids and adults of all ages and athletic abilities have been gathering on North Tejon Street one night a week during the summer for a few hours of pickup kickball. The variation on softball uses a big bouncy ball that’s rolled instead of thrown to players, who run around bases to score.
After a few neighbors complained, six and then eight police officers, some in body armor, showed up during the Aug. 9 game, ordered all participants to discontinue the activity and ticketed two organizers.
“Their reaction was overkill, with a storming of police officers,” Snyder said. “We understand police don’t have the discretion if someone is doing something against the law, but the way they handled it was ridiculous.”
Now, neighbors who support the weekly tradition have ponied up more than $300 and obtained a block party permit from the city. An attempt to obtain a permit previously was denied due to paperwork discrepancies, police told the group last month.
That will enable the group to close the 1900 block of North Tejon Street to through traffic Monday and play ball.
What participants saw as excessive response from police in shutting down the game last month generated a lot of community support, Snyder said.
“Overall, it’s been very positive feedback,” said Joseph Coleman, another organizer.
Five weeks ago, law enforcement told parents at the game that what they were doing was illegal and unsafe.
Parents said they play alongside the children, and everyone scatters when a car approaches. Few cars travel the quiet street during the games, parents said, since it dead ends a few blocks away at Penrose Hospital.
Regardless, police argued, it’s a safety hazard to allow and promote children playing in the street, and it violates city laws.
They ticketed Coleman and Snyder for coordinating the activity and ordered the game be halted and not continue on another day.
If participants did not abide by the cease and desist order, charges to parents could escalate from violating a city ordinance that prohibits obstructing or interfering with traffic movement to child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a felony, Colorado Springs Police Commander Tish Olszewski told the group.
The neighborhood has been radio silent ever since. Instead of enjoying laughter during friendly competition in the street, some families have been regularly trekking as a group to the nearby Tasty Freeze for ice cream.
“Everyone’s been very bummed,” Coleman said.
Two neighbors had said they were concerned about damage to cars and their properties and general disruption of the historic neighborhood. Organizers said they moved the game down the street, away from those houses.
To receive approval for the block party permit, the most feasible legal route, the group had to turn in signatures from every resident on the block, indicating whether they favor the idea or oppose it.
Just the two homeowners were against it, Coleman said, and since the majority of residents are behind the weekly game, the group was granted the permit. They also had to rent barricades to block off the street for Monday’s game.
As far as obtaining the permit, Coleman said, “It was never about money.”
The summertime ritual has become more than child’s play, neighbors told The Gazette last month.
It’s a way to build community and motivate kids of all ages and abilities to set electronic devices aside and learn about teamwork, sportsmanship and the joy of outdoor activity, they say.
“It’s one of my favorite things about the summer,” 14-year-old Kelsey Calhoun said last month, adding she couldn't believe the games had been forced to stop. “This is affecting the entire community,” she said.
Snyder said he realizes playing the game in the street violates municipal law, but organizers thought they were addressing the issue by working with the police when they showed up twice before issuing tickets five weeks ago.
Police said they understood the group’s position and would talk to city staff, Snyder said. Patrol officers handed out frisbees to the kids during one game and shared ice cream with players the other time.
On Aug. 9, there was no negotiating.
“They said they had to enforce the law, but it was the whole manner that eroded confidence in police from a group that has supported them in the past,” Snyder said.
Coleman and Snyder are meeting with a city traffic engineer in a few weeks to see if the street could receive a “local traffic only” designation, which also would allow them to legally play without the expense of paying $300 each week for a special permit.
"It's dumb — they don't really have a good way for us to do this," Snyder said.
Other neighbors also have applied for block party permits for two additional weeks this month for the 2000 and 2100 blocks of North Tejon Street, to finish out the season, Snyder said.
Meanwhile, Snyder and Coleman still have to appear in municipal court later this month from the citations they received. Each faces a fine of up to $500.
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September 13, 2021 at 02:46AM
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Controversial street kickball game to resume in Old North End - Colorado Springs Gazette
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