GREAT BAY--The St. Maarten Little League Association says it is outraged and deeply alarmed following a serious incident on Thursday evening at the Little League Stadium, where a large metal garbage bin crashed through a section of the stadium’s outer concrete wall while a Little League practice session was underway. According to the Association, a garbage bin hauler was attempting to place the bin next to the outer wall when apparently something went wrong, causing the bin to slam into the structure, destabilize the wall, and knock down a significant section in full view of children.
Association representatives said the incident could easily have resulted in a child being killed or seriously injured and described the scene as shocking for those in attendance. One representative stated, “The children were there playing practice,” adding that the question now haunting parents and volunteers is simple: what if a child had been close to the wall at the moment of impact.
The Association warned that the wall is now compromised and may pose an ongoing hazard, particularly in an active sporting environment where children run, chase balls, and move unpredictably during training sessions. The Association is calling on the government for immediate steps to secure the area, including a structural assessment by qualified personnel, temporary barriers, and a clear exclusion zone until repairs are completed and the site is declared safe.
While practices and scheduled activities may continue, the Association stressed that continuing operations near a compromised wall is unacceptable, and that safety must be treated as urgent, not routine.
The Association emphasized that Thursday’s incident did not happen in isolation and renewed its long-standing complaints to government about how the surrounding parking area has been used. The Association says it has been raising concerns for some time that the lot, which it does not own, has effectively become a dumping ground for dilapidated vehicles and parts, and that tour buses are routinely parked there, creating safety, access, and congestion issues for families.
Association representatives said parents bringing children to practice are often left without adequate parking and are forced into unsafe or inconvenient arrangements because of the way the lot is being used. They also stated that the Association has repeatedly asked government for a meeting and for clarity on who authorizes, manages, and benefits from the parking lot, particularly the placement of vehicles, parts, and large buses in what is supposed to support a youth sporting facility.
The Association reiterated its request that, if government cannot transfer the land, government should grant the Association management authority over the area so that it can establish rules, control access, and prevent activities that undermine safety and proper use. As one representative put it, “You may not be able to give us the land, but give us the management of it."
The Association stated that it has sent emails and formal letters, and requested meetings, including earlier this year, but says it did not receive the response needed from the government to address the ongoing problems. The Association is now urging government to treat this matter as a public safety issue involving children, not a routine facilities concern that can be delayed.
The Association stressed that parents must be able to bring their children to practice with confidence that the environment is safe and properly managed. The organization also noted that it has invested effort into maintaining and improving the facility through volunteer work and beautification, as well as securing an international tournament, and wants that progress matched by responsible management of the surrounding space.
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