Ridge Baseball Club is a community based non-profit sports organization run by volunteers in the Basking Ridge community.  The organization is comprised entirely of members of our community - our neighbors. Currently, RBC provides recreational and travel baseball programs to over 400 boys and girls in the community ages 4 – 18.  This Spring, we had nearly 40 recreational baseball teams playing in five age divisions and 12 travel teams competing against other towns and representing Basking Ridge in 7 age divisions.  And over the past 20 years, more than 5,000 kids have played in our programs. 

RBC leases the baseball complex on Valley Road from Bernards Township.  That lease expires in May 2024 and there will be a vote by the Township Committee on August 15th on RBC's request to renew the lease for another 20 year period.  If the Township Committee does not vote in favor of the renewal, RBC risks losing the baseball complex where all of our kids have played for so many years. 

The lease also dictates when RBC can use lights at the complex. Currently, the lease limits RBC's use of lights to April 24th - August 8th each year.  This limitation impacts RBC's ability to provide the community with a safe and effective program in early Spring and in the Fall, when it gets dark early and when lights are most needed.  Therefore, as part of our lease renewal, we have asked the Township Committee to extend the use of lights so that they can be used from April 1st - August 8th and from September 1st - November 15th each year.

At a Township Committee meeting on July 25th, several residents opposed the lease renewal request and complained that RBC's operations and use of the lights negatively impact them.  

RBC NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT. THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE WILL VOTE TO APPROVE OR DENY THE LEASE RENEWAL AND AMENDMENT ON AUGUST 15TH.  WE NEED THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BERNARDS TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTS RBC AND ITS REQUESTS, AND THAT THESE FEW VOCAL RESIDENTS DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION AND SUPPORT RBC SO THAT YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD.  LET THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE KNOW THAT YOU SUPPORT RBC AND ITS LEASE RENEWAL. 

THE PETITION WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE AT THE AUGUST 15TH HEARING.