Over the past several years, I have watched as kids climb the fence and organize ad hoc soccer games and football games at Quinn’s Pointe (Minto field) in Barrhaven. I have observed countless sunny days of the field being locked and unused the entire day, approximately 50% or more of the usable hours it’s locked and not in use. The City has become very aggressive in locking up the nets to the fence when not formally rented out. Going so far as to lock the nets over the asphalt to prevent neighbourhood kids from playing on the nets backwards. I have reached out to our local councillor but got passed on to multiple city administrators who gave unconvincing arguments why it is necessary to prevent community kids from playing together and developing their social and soccer skills. I would like the City to agree to some model of making the field available to the community when not formally rented. Whether through a local soccer club like OSU, or volunteer parents, or supervised by city employees… Surely at a time of increased inactivity for young kids and teens, the growing popularity of soccer this is exactly what we need to encourage, not discourage and prevent.