Dear City of London Parks and Recreation Department,

We, the undersigned members of the London cricket community, would like to start by expressing our gratitude for the support and maintenance efforts that the City of London has provided to our cricket grounds. Your weekly maintenance of Northridge and NLAF and the bi-weekly maintenance of Silverwood are greatly appreciated.

However, we are writing to bring to your attention some concerns regarding the current maintenance standards. The grass on these grounds is not maintained at the appropriate length required for playing cricket. The grass should be cut to a height of 12 to 18 mm, or at the very least, no more than 20 mm to ensure a safe and playable condition. Unfortunately, the current situation is far from ideal:

• Northridge and NLAF: Despite weekly mowing, the grass height often reaches nearly 30 mm, making it difficult for the cricket ball to travel properly.
• Silverwood: The bi-weekly mowing schedule results in even more significant issues, with the grass height and large weeds severely impacting playability.
• Edges and Surroundings: The grass near the edges of the pitch and the surrounding areas is often neglected, which further hampers the quality of play.

While we appreciate the city's efforts in maintaining these grounds, it is essential to adhere to the standard grass height for cricket pitches to support the rapidly growing cricket community in London, which boasts over 1000 members playing professional cricket. Proper maintenance is crucial not only for the enjoyment of the game but also for the health and safety of the players.

London is home to some of the oldest cricket clubs in Canada, and the sport is experiencing significant growth in our city. We kindly request that the city make the necessary arrangements to cut the grass on these cricket grounds to the standard size required for playing cricket.

We greatly appreciate the city's support of the cricket community thus far and hope that this request will be given due consideration to enhance the quality of cricket in London.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Cricket Community, London, ON