Walnutport plans to take a request from Northern Lehigh School District for the use of the borough’s softball field under advisement.

Borough council on Thursday discussed the solicitation by the school district to use the Walnutport playground softball field while the district’s softball field is under construction.

The request is only for the 2025 season, according to a letter dated Sept. 4 from Northern Lehigh School District Superintendent Dr. Matthew J. Link, and district athletic director Bryan Geist.

“Due to an extremely long and frustrating permitting process, the permit has finally been approved and unfortunately, we have missed the fall of 2024 growing season,” the letter states. “For this reason, we are unable to play any softball games this spring on the Northern Lehigh School District softball field.”

The letter states that the district is currently seeking a field to be used for spring 2025, and that “the obvious choice was to reach out to the Walnutport Playground Association.”

“After seeking approval for the Walnutport field, Northern Lehigh School District has been denied spring 2025 usage by the president of the Walnutport Playground Northern Lehigh Softball Board, who is the contact regarding the senior night softball game in May,” the letter states. “However, we did receive and appreciate the use of the field for our May 6, 2025 senior night game.”

The district has requested a 3 to 5 p.m. practice slot on the softball field when all winter weather conditions resolve, and if there is an earlier time that accommodates Walnutport teams, the district would adjust accordingly.

The district has also requested a 3:45 p.m. first pitch for softball games, or a 2:45 p.m. field access, and added that varsity and junior high softball games average 1-hour, 25-minutes per contest.

Renovations to Northern Lehigh School District’s athletic field complex are ready to take shape on the near $2 million improvement project.

On an 8-0 vote, the school board on Monday approved the change order for the baseball and softball complex renovation to include softball outfield underdrain alternate, flagpole installation, and complete renovation of the softball outfield including regrading, sodding of softball and baseball outfields, and relocation of each field’s scoreboard at an additional cost of $218,856.

Filchner said at Thursday’s Walnutport Borough Council meeting it’s his understanding that the Northern Lehigh baseball team will play its home games at Bryfogle Park in Walnutport.

Council President Michael Gaston questioned why the district’s request to use the borough’s softball field couldn’t be accommodated.

Brian Filchner, president of the Walnutport Playground Association, explained that they have nine teams with 105 boys and girls on the field by 5 p.m.

“There’s no way I can accommodate that (request for use of the softball field),” Filchner said. “Logistically, I just can’t see how it would happen; there’s no way with nine teams and 105 kids I can accommodate.”

Filchner said he was going to suggest that Northern Lehigh softball look to Eagles Nest Park in Slatington, as an alternative, since no organized baseball/softball youth teams haven’t used those fields for several years.

Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker said she was “stumped” that nobody’s using Eagles Nest Park since it’s in such good condition.

Either way, Filchner said he wouldn’t want to do anything that would interfere with the youths schedules.

“I just have so many kids and so many teams here,” Filchner said. “I just don’t want to be unfair to them.”

Filchner added that the varsity softball team would play 10 games at the borough’s softball field, while the junior high team would play nine games there.

Gaston said he still couldn’t understand why the Walnutport Playground Association couldn’t accommodate the district’s request.

“We made provisions for them before to play here, and I can’t see why we can’t do it now,” Gaston said. “If we have to tweak this a little bit.”

Hunsicker then suggested perhaps Filchner could look to set up a meeting with the district to further discuss the matter.

Filchner and Gaston said they’d be willing to sit down with the district about the situation.

“I’m willing to sit down with them about it,” Filchner said. “I’m not going to shortchange the youth teams that are here.”