Recently the Kenmore Reporter ran a letter from Susan Gardner, “Revising history with Saint Edward Seminary.” The letter states that “a few bicyclists and play field advocates” sunk the McMenamins’ project. This statement could also be classified as revising history.

As one of a few community members who led the effort to promote the need for ball fields in Kenmore, and as a member of the Saint Edward State Park Advisory Committee that was assembled to produce the Classification and Management Plan (CAMP) for the state park, it is false to assert that the ball field leaders opposed or worked against the McMenamins’ proposal. We have always recognized that ball fields and recreational amenities often require a collaborative effort between public, private and community partnerships.

There are many reasons that the McMenamins’ proposal did not succeed, but to put the blame on bicyclists and ball field advocates would be a complete mischaracterization of the process and a misunderstanding of who the opponents of this proposal were.

Brent Smith, Kenmore City Council