Field-Specific Policy for

Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields

DCR has established policies and procedures for the clear and consistent management of athletic fields and facilities under the agency’s care and the equitable scheduling and permitting of those facilities among various users.  These system-wide policies and procedures are presented in DCR’s Community Guide for Reserving and Using DCR Athletic Fields and Facilities. 

The agency recognizes that individual fields and facilities may require additional specific policies or procedures due to unusual conditions, limitations or other specific circumstances that may not apply to other fields.  The following specific policies apply to the Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields (TERSF) at Lederman Park in Boston. 

Use Priorities

Youth Sports Priority:  The TERSF athletic facilities shall offer priority access to youth organizations during prime use hours as defined below:   

• School organizations shall have priority use during school hours.
• Youth sports organizations shall have priority between the hours of 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm weekdays, between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays, and 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Sunday.
• Adult organized and informal sports activities shall have priority after 7:00 pm with extended evening hours on lighted fields. 

Local Priority:  DCR’s field use policy establishes that local entities shall be allocated 70% of available field time and that 30% of field time shall be made available to regional entities defined as outside the local area.  DCR has defined “local” as those individuals and organizations residing or operating within the communities within a one (1) mile radius of the specific field.  In the case of Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields the following communities shall be included in the local area.

• Boston -Beacon Hill
• Boston _ Back Bay
• Boston – Chinatown
• Boston – West End/ Haymarket
• Boston – North End
• Boston- Charlestown
• Cambridge – East Cambridge

Access Priority: In recognition of the important role that existing youth sports non-profit groups play in providing affordable sports and recreational activities for children under the age of 12 in the community of Boston, any new youth group that applies for field time that potentially displaces field time allocated to an existing youth sports non-profit group must offer similar programs to all community users at a cost which is consistent with community standards as determined by DCR.  For TERSF, existing youth sports non-profit groups shall mean 501(C)(3) non-profit organizations that were permitted by DCR in the preceding season.

All permittees shall respect this public facility, the conditions of the permit for their privilege to use TERSF, and the times permitted to other users of TERSF.  Consistent with existing authority, DCR may pursue a range of options to address a permittees failure to respect and comply with the rules, regulations and permit conditions associated with a permitee’s allowed privilege to use TERSF; such as and without limitation, for example, DCR not issuing a permit in the future to use TERSF for a permitee that does not respect the times of use allowed under its permit (i.e. not vacating the field in a timely manner and running over into time permitted already to another group) or does not satisfactorily comply with permit terms (e.g. failing to address a condition of a permit, especially after being notified by DCR).

Other Uses

The TERSF fields have been renewed and redeveloped through agency and community commitment for the specific purpose of improving field conditions, ongoing maintenance, and public availability of these fields for athletic recreation.   To protect these fields and their availability for these priority uses:

• No events or other activities shall be issued a permit by DCR which are likely to damage the fields, irrigation systems or other field assets.
• No walks or runs, so called, or staging areas for such activities shall be issued a permit on TERSF.  Permits issued by DCR for any such activities which will pass adjacent to TERSF shall require the permittee to place, maintain, monitor and remove appropriate barriers to address pedestrian flow away from the fields, provided such barriers should be positioned and maintained in a manner that is protective of public safety (in terms of all park users, including those permitted to use TERSF).  In such instance, that permittee shall be responsible for damage caused to TERSF from its activities and participants, and may be required to maintain insurance to address such damage.
• No events or other activities shall be issued a permit by DCR other than appropriate athletic recreation activities.
• Specific prohibitions shall include driving vehicles (other than maintenance or public safety vehicles) and/or erection of tents or other structures requiring stakes or other ground penetration.
• No events shall be permitted which displace previously scheduled athletic activities.

Hours of Operation

TERSF are available for use 6 days per week.  In the interest of public safety and protection of the fields, TERSF may be closed at various times during the year due to weather or other factors.  Although DCR will attempt to minimize canceling scheduled activities, DCR at its discretion may cancel previously scheduled and permitted use of TERSF if weather or other conditions, such as wet conditions, may contribute to damage to TERSF.

In the event of recreational activities scheduled to occur past dusk, it is anticipated that the costs for using the fields may change as a result of:

• cost to operate and maintain lights
• cost to plan for available DCR staff resources; and
• costs associated with closing after recreation is complete (e.g. trash removal, equipment storage, etc).

Management of Fields

As TERSF have been renewed due to the efforts and contributions of community organizations and individuals, the DCR shall consult in partnership with the community and an advisory committee representing community interests to review plans, policies, field allocation procedures, maintenance activities and other agency activities related to the operation of the field.  DCR will develop the above-referenced committee to advise DCR and will appoint members with regard to the broad range of stakeholders concerned about TERSF, including the Partners that assisted in the effort to renew the fields.  Prior to the beginning of the season, DCR shall hold a public meeting to discuss permit scheduling and associated field use time allocation.