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A ballistic study on the risk of softballs landing outside the two softball fields in Jeanne-Mance Park that was used by the city to justify destroying one of the fields suggests that a higher back drop and fences could have resolved the issue.

The north field has been used for decades for pick-up softball games, and the approximately 200 regular players were bitterly disappointed when the city barricaded the area last summer. At the time, city officials said it was only temporary, so the space could be used to store equipment during renovations of the adjoining tennis courts.

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As recently as February, the city’s executive committee responsible for parks Luc Ferrandez had promised the soft ball players that the ball field would indeed be spruced up and reopened by the end of May.

But on May 24, city officials met with members of the Save the North Field Campaign, and told them the field would not be reopened. The back drop and sand has since been removed, and topsoil has been laid over the diamond.