A popular field in Freeport could be paved over to create space for a manufacturing warehouse.
The Freeport Village Board will vote tonight on whether properties, including the Cleveland Avenue ballfield, will be rezoned to allow for retail warehouses like Amazon to take over.
The three properties that would be rezoned include the ballfield, which is used by the school district, a former housing property and a former manufacturing site.
Players on Freeport school varsity teams say they do not want to see the field moved.
“I don’t think that would be right because we have nowhere else to go,” says Jose Pimenten. “We need this field right here.”
Fran Guerrier says the Cleveland Avenue ballfields are the best place for her 14-year-old son to practice and play baseball.
“They have a small field on their campus, but it’s not big enough for them to play the game, so this is convenient,” Guerrier says. “It’s close by home, and they have ample space to play their games.”
Some officials in Freeport say Amazon bringing a warehouse could mean more jobs and money for the area.
The school board released a statement that said, “With this hearing, the village is again behaving as though students’ use of these athletic fields for generations simply doesn’t matter, and as though the district’s legal rights do not exist. Obviously, we strongly disagree.”
The village board will be voting at 7:15 p.m.
