Support LettersHi Clay,
To the planners of Northampton, MA,
Maines Field in Florence, MA is a staple in my life and the lives of many others. I
have been a member of the Dunes Boys Volleyball group for 8 years now. Through
our weekly meetings at Maines field, I get to enjoy summer activities with the
people I know and love, and I get to create new friendships. Maines field has
helped us create a community through outdoor recreation and provides a safe
space for LGBTQ+ people. Our group brings people in from all over western and
central MA, CT and even VT. We support local businesses such as the
Northampton Brewery and the Majestic. Personally this park brings me joy and a
welcome reprieve from my winter blues. During the flooding of Summer 2023,
Maines Field had closed due to damages to the grounds. I was ecstatic to learn
that Maines Field was open for summer of 2024 and my summer life could return
to normal. Thank you for taking the time to read my love note for Maines Field.
Sincerely,
Dylan Krupa
I've been a resident of Northampton since 1986, and a homeowner here since
1992. Maines Field has been the home of Dunes Boys Volleyball every Tuesday
evening in the summer since 2005, and before that it was the home of Venture Out
volleyball from 1993 - 2000. I started both volleyball leagues at Maines Field in order to
provide gay men in the valley with an alternative way to meet each other, lessen
isolation, and build community - to not be dependent on the bars to do that. I think the
results have been spectacularly successful! Every Tuesday from early May through
mid September, about 40-50 guys (sometimes more!) from all over the Pioneer Valley
and beyond gather for a few hours of fun, socializing, and some exercise. Before and
after volleyball, many of these guys shop and eat in Northampton. I hear from the
servers and bartenders at the Northampton Brewery that Tuesday evenings are one of
their busiest and most fun, and I know that many guys from other towns discover
Northampton for the first time because they come for Tuesday night volleyball. Most
importantly, I also know there have been many life-long friendships made and partners
found because of volleyball at Maines field. In fact, I met my husband Steve playing
Venture Out volleyball in 1996 and we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this
past June 19th (20 years legal). We have attended a few other "volleyball weddings"
over the years as well. I wholeheartedly support the city investing in a comprehensive
Park Improvement Plan that includes improving (perhaps expanding) the volleyball
courts. The investment in the park including the volleyball courts will have positive
ripple effects not only for enhancing the quality of life for so many, but also for
economic development for Northampton.
- Mark Carmien, 218 Turkey Hill Rd, Florence
Dunes Boy Volleyball is an space for connecting with like-minded people in the
community and practicing an active lifestyle. These community connections would
not be possible without the space in the Maine's Field. We as a group would be in
gratitude to the city for considering improvements and also maintaining the
volleyball courts for posterity.
Joshua Arroyo
Dear CPA committee,
My name is Clay Pearson, and I am a Florence home owner for 8 years, a Northampton resident for 13
years. I fully support any funding that is to maintain and preserve the function of Maines Field. I am a
queer organizer in Northampton I have run Hampshire Pride for 2 years, Rainbow Dodgeball for 5
years, and I have been the treasurer of the Dune Boys volleyball group for a 3 years now. I know the
impact it has had on our community after the closure of the volleyball fields. We were forced to play
elsewhere and the size and number of courts could not compare with our home field at Maines Field.
The number of attendees dropped. Even the tradition of going out to support the local businesses in
Northampton, namely the Northampton Brewing Company & Majestic Saloon, was abandoned. An
investment in to Maines field is an investment in the people the people of Northampton and the
surrounding areas, as well as the businesses that park attendees frequent after their visit.
Clay Pearson
9 West Center Street, Florence