Ouellet Field neighbors have been whining to police during the start of Wellesley Little League season about people parking on Barton Road across from their homes in violation of “No Parking Between Signs” signs (which might be clearer if they just said “No Parking Either Side of Street”).
Police so far this season have kindly warned parents about the violations in an effort to educate them. But tickets won’t be far behind if people continue to park there and block neighbors’ views of the chain link fence. I’ve seen basketball players who park there ticketed in the past after the police were called by neighbors.
It’s a tough situation: Those who live in the neighborhood — the site of new home construction over the past year — get fed up with the traffic at night and on weekends. And for those attending games at Ouellet, there really isn’t enough parking at the field on Charles Street near the playground. So that’s why some people park along the outfield fence on Barton Road even though they risk baseballs flying into their windshields (I’ve seen balls fly over cars there).
Parking and carpooling or walking from Schofield Elementary School might be one option for ballgame spectators who can’t find a space — or who don’t have friends on Barton Road or Cedar Street who will let them use their driveways on game days.
Maybe the homeowners of Barton Road should take a page out of the Foxboro resident’s play book and offer parking on their property at a price lower than the cost of a parking ticket in Wellesley. Win-win? I think so!