Elm Street Girls Keep Joe Velardi - Their Field of Dreams

As they stood to address city commissioners Wednesday, several girl softball players were dwarfed by the speaker's lectern. But the words they spoke had a giant impact on commissioners as the Elm Street Little League Girls Softball successfully fought to keep Joe Velardi Field as their home.

Two weeks ago, the Fernandina Beach city commission had voted to replace softball and baseball activities at Joe Velardi Field and build 16 regulation petanque courts. Commissioners agreed Wednesday that decision was made in haste and without consideration of the impact on various youth leagues.

"Without these fields, it's really hard for the girls to get out there and play," said Rose Ivey, a third-year softball player. "Even in T-ball, I've seen these girls play really hard and these girls are our future. The sportsmanship of these girls (show) they want to play, and we need these fields."

After 90 minutes of hearing public speakers and discussion on the issue, Mayor Bradley Bean asked commissioners for an informal show of hands of those in favor of keeping Joe Velardi Field for youth softball and baseball. All of the commissioners agreed.

The commission will formally vote on a motion to reconsider their original decision to build petanque courts at their next meeting in September.

"When we only have two fields, it's very hard for Elm Street Little League to keep expanding," said another player Cailihn Andree. "We need somewhere to practice and play games."

Also attending were members of the Amelia Island Boules Club who supported keeping Joe Velardi for youth softball and baseball. They proposed using Central Park for new petanque courts.

The commission's earlier decision to build the petanque courts at Joe Velardi Field set off social media and television news coverage that often was negative. The storyline was a struggle between two sports for the field. One, petanque, for the retired and elderly population of Amelia Island and youth baseball/softball for families.

The first speaker at the meeting was Joe Velardi's daughter, Linda Velardi-Trump, who spoke about her father's passion for youth sports who started Little League in Fernandina Beach with four teams in 1956.

"While I respect the need for any and all upcoming sports, including petanque and pickleball, they should not replace the legacy of my father," she told commissioners.

John Abbott, president of the Amelia Island Boules Club and Leslie Andree with Elm Street Little League, stood together and said they had been working collaboratively to find solutions for both organizations.

"I don't think there was any ill will or ill intention by anybody here at all. Me and John got together because we need to get our ballfield back and we need to help them (petanque) to find a home because we know what it's like to lose our field.

Abbott said it was never the Boules Club's intention to commandeer Joe Velardi Field from the youth league.

"We need to calm this situation down. To that end we are recommending to this commission to take a breath, step back and consider other options that were presented, like Central Park," he said. "I'll be honest with you; it will calm down some of the vitriol that has been directed at our club."

Mayor Bradley Bean said in reviewing the commission's decision, putting petanque at Joe Velardi Field was "not the optimal choice."

While supporting both the Elm Street Little League and the Boules Club, Commissioner Darron Ayscue said before the city begins "turning dirt to build petanque courts at Central Park" the city needed to make sure that other organizations who use city fields would not be impacted by that decision.

"Before we start turning dirt, I'd like that (field use) to be vetted," Ayscue said.

Interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson said the city was planning on holding a townhall meeting regarding the use of city fields on Aug. 30. He said the time and location would be announced once plans for the meeting are finalized.