Little League baseball field demo surprises Yountville residents amid Commons debate
Demolition work at the Yountville Little League ball field, Kaneshiro Field, surprised some passersby at the Yountville Commons site this week.
Yountville Public Works Director John Ferons had reported at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting that fencing around the ballpark would be removed to install a storage container for The Coop by Hoopes. More than a fence was demolished, however. Bleachers, dugouts, and the backstop were removed, as well as the fencing.
Ferons said the flagpole, which had been repurposed from the former Yountville Elementary School, will be restored in a new location at the Coop next week.
Yountville resident Larry Kamer, who noticed the piles of rubble as he walked by, told the Sun the timing of the demo “seemed pretty odd,” given that in the past weeks town officials have assured residents that no actions would be taken at the Commons site without further study.
Ferons said the work, carried out by the town’s Public Works Department, began Monday and was largely completed within two days, with minor cleanup scheduled for today. He said the project was sparked by Napa County Department of Environmental Health regulations. The secure container behind the Coop by Hoopes will store refrigerators and food. Its roll-up doors allow access to refrigerated items during business hours and will be locked at night.
Additional changes include expanded outdoor seating behind the farm stand, with more tables and chairs planned to accommodate customers.
The Kaneshiro Field Kiwanis scoreboard will remain in place in homage to Yountville’s baseball history and will be preserved indefinitely, Ferons said.
Arik Housley played on that field while attending Yountville Elementary School and every summer with friends; his son Alex played there too. “Removing Kaneshiro Field is not the same as removing a fence,” Housley said. “This decision feels tone-deaf to a community that has been asking leaders to slow down and listen.
“Dick Kaneshiro gave his life in service to our community, and this field was dedicated to honor that commitment. Removing his name now sends the message that the history and families who helped build this community no longer matter.”
Ferons added that the revisions to this site are part of the Town Council’s vision for the property. While funding for the improvements comes from the town’s capital improvement budget associated with the Yountville Commons project, this work is separate from the larger Commons development plans.
“Communities that thrive and survive work together, even if they have different viewpoints,” Housley said. “This feels like one person has a vision and we’re all supposed to just like it. There is no ‘together’ in what’s currently happening.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, Ferons also noted that the kiosk installed near the post office and community center during the holiday season—originally a greenhouse—has been relocated to the Commons Farm Stand garden for use at the site.
