Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add further comments from Summit County manager Dave Rossi.

The Summit County community is known for being passionate. Whether rallying behind a common cause or showing up for local events, the community cares what happens in the county.

Community members showed this passion recently when the county announced it would be making major changes to a popular recreation area.

Earlier this month, Summit County manager Dave Rossi sent out a statement saying that the baseball/softball fields at the base of Dillon Reservoir in Silverthorne would no longer be maintained and would slowly be decommissioned. 

In the one-page statement, Rossi said that for more than 40 years the county has worked with its partner Denver Water to maintain the area below the dam as ball fields for local youth baseball and adult softball leagues.

According to Rossi, the county spends more than $100,000 annually to maintain the area with less than $5,000 being recouped in use fees.

With other baseball fields throughout the county expanding or seeing significant improvements, including a turf field being installed at Kingdom Park in Breckenridge, the use of the Silverthorne fields has reportedly fallen.

Due to these reasons, the county made the decision that taxpayer funds would best be used if they converted the area to a casual recreation area with minimal maintenance being performed. Maintenance would include occasional mowing and trash removal, making play difficult for the baseball/softball leagues.

The statement was immediately met with opposition from the community. Within a few days, discussions broke out on Facebook groups and a Change.org campaign was launched in hopes that the county would reconsider its decision.

One of the major arguments community members tried to make to the county was that the fields are an essential and vital part to Summit County. The fields allow kids to grow their baseball/softball skills and allow adults to meet new people and expand their social circle, community members argued.

In a letter to Dave Rossi and the county, longtime Summit County resident Kayle Burns detailed how the fields have come full circle for her. After using the fields as a way to meet new adults in the county, Burns’ daughter got the opportunity to explore the sport of baseball for the first time this past year. 

“Growing up playing baseball and softball myself, it was incredibly exciting to see my daughter develop a love for the sport,” Burns said in her letter addressed to the county. “Our family eagerly anticipates opening day this summer, and it would be a huge disappointment if it were not hosted on the Silverthorne fields.”

Although the fields see less use than others in the county, longtime Summit Baseball coach and current head coach of the Summit High School boys baseball team Coley Thompkins says the fields are still an integral part to local baseball/softball leagues. 

“They are crucial to the youth baseball program and the development of our youth baseball players,” Thompkins said. “We have some smaller fields for t-ball in other parts of the county, but for the ages 10-12, Silverthorne is a primary home for our players. It is where we host our opening and closing days as well as some tournament days. It is the place where all the teams can get together at once.”

Without the Silverthorne ball fields, leagues would be limited in terms of what fields it could access for games, practices and tournaments.

The Change.org petition presents several solutions to the “community value versus cost” problem. Some of the solutions include public-private partnerships to help offset costs, fee restructuring to help cover field upkeep, grant opportunities and maintaining the field only when it is in season.

Since it launched, nearly 300 people signed the petition, prompting Rossi and the county to rethink the initial decision to not maintain the ball fields. 

Although a firm decision has yet to be made, Rossi posted on the Change.org petition page on Tuesday, April 22, that the county is working to maintain the fields so that play can continue at the Silverthorne fields this upcoming summer.

Rossi recognizes the impact the fields have on young players, adults and baseball/softball fans.

“We had seen a dramatic drop off in games, but we also have heard how important it is to so many, and because of that, we’re going to find a way to make it work,” Rossi said.

While initially upset at the county’s initial decision, Summit community member are appreciative that their concerns have not only been heard, but addressed.

“The sequence of events from my perspective is that the county made a decision based on what they saw as a financial need and the pushback they received was significant,” Thompkins said. “The response from the county and Mr. Rossi was pretty quick. It was clear that they do care what we think. It is clear that they are willing to negotiate. It is an example of us the public being supported.”

The county is currently working with Summit County Softball League director Steve Wilkins to work out the future logistics surrounding the ball fields.

According to Rossi, county crews have been working over the last few days to get the fields in a positon for play by May 27. 

“It was my decision based on some of the staff conversations about how we could save some money,” Rossi said.

“We were not going to remove the fields or eliminate play. What we proposed to do was not maintain the fields for competitive league play. … (The reversal) was the result of the community coming together and helping us understand how important certain things are to folks. It was an easy decision.”