Letters to the editor

Dear editor,

On Thursday, Feb. 13, an editorial was published chastising the city on funds… Dear editor,

On Thursday, Feb. 13, an editorial was published chastising the city on funds usage for Ultimate Frisbee field construction.

The editorial implies Ultimate is a college lawn sport. Actually, ultimate has spawned a competitive nationwide following with three-tiered National Male, Female, Coed, Masters, and College Series run by a governing Ultimate Players Association. All seven Pittsburgh teams to attend Sectionals made it to Regionals last fall, and two went to Nationals.

Empty fields? Not quite. Currently, 10 Pittsburgh Ultimate teams practice mostly outside the city. The Community of Pittsburgh Ultimate runs four seasonal leagues. The organized Ultimate players in Pittsburgh total around 700 people.

The fields will not be Ultimate-exclusive, but Ultimate-preferential. This means when field permit time comes, the Ultimate community gets first dibs, but they will also be used for other sports.

Here’s the fact that absolutely should not have been left out: lighted field construction costs a lot more than $100,000. The CPU is matching the city’s funding with at least $100,000 of their own. Even though the CPU – and other sports – will be paying to use them. This is a two year old public/private partnership, not wasteful spending, which provides the city with income from permit sales.

Further, the $250,000 pay toilet wasn’t city-funded, but provided by Clear Channel Adshel for advertising. The city only gains funds from the advertising and usage of the toilet. The toilet is heated, constantly disinfected, graffiti-resistant, well-lit, wheelchair-accessible and worth a city-supporting quarter.

Dane Roberts

CAS senior