Parking around Leary, Yetten Fields causes confusion

Lecia Whitlock’s orange traffic cones and “Reserved for Leciafit” sign have done little to deter uninvited guests from occupying the parking spot set aside for her business.

Leciafit Custom Fitness is one of several small businesses occupying the building complex neighboring Leary and Yetten Athletic Fields. When parking at the newly renovated fields fills up, visitors use the businesses’ private parking spaces as back-up.

“I drove past here on a Sunday recently, and there was some big event going on — Junior Olympics or something like that. There were cars everywhere, like it was filled up,” Whitlock said. “This was filled up, behind the building down the road, the Harvey Windows lot was full. It’s like, there’s just not appropriate space for the number of people who need to find a place to park, and then it becomes a traffic hazard on this little corner.”

Leary and Yetten Fields, renovated in 2023, are popular multi-sport venues available for athletics and general public use; baseball, football, track, soccer and lacrosse enjoy use of the facilities, as do community members. Leary’s grandstands can seat up to 1,500 spectators, with an additional 500 seats in the visitor bleachers. 

A quick drive around the block revealed the total number of parking spots currently available for the fields: 63.

While a parking lot expansion was included in renovation plans, the new parking lot off of Bacon Street offers only 39 regular parking spaces and 4 accessible parking spaces. Leary and Yetten Fields share this lot, which is supplemented by 5 regular and 3 accessible parking spaces across from Lansing Building Property’s warehouse, as well as 11 regular and 1 accessible parking space in the field maintenance lot. The fenceline along Athletic Field Road is used for overflow.

Limited on-site parking, scattered around the perimeter of the fields, and a lack of signage directing drivers to specific areas, causes general confusion — resulting in sights like school buses parked lengthwise across multiple private parking spaces.

“Often when it’s crowded, cars will be parked on the turns and around dumpsters, which isn’t ideal,” Whitlock said. “More than anything, I think drivers simply don’t know where they are allowed to park. When school buses come, the area becomes even more congested. I do think it’s confusing and possibly frustrating for visiting schools and parents.”

Agway, a supply store located across from Leciafit, has roughly 30 parking spots — most of which are taken during events like Friday football games. In recent months the business has towed 30 cars  parked in spots labeled “For Customers Only.” 

According to Sergeant William Gallant, who serves in the Community Services Division of Waltham’s police department, the police have not been called or requested to respond for any parking issues that the Traffic Division is aware of.    

“It should be noted that Athletic Field Road is a private way and officers do not have the authority to ticket cars for parking unless they block the road … or they park in a handicap spot or in front of a hydrant,” Gallant said.

Only two parking issue calls related to Athletic Field Road occurred between May 1 and Sept. 30 this year.  All nearby roads were also checked, with no parking complaints logged that resulted from overflow of the Leary Field area. No reports were filed, and no parking tags issued.

Gallant states no other city-owned parks and fields have notable parking or traffic-related issues. While Connors Playground and Universal Playground caused congestion shortly after opening to the public, no recent complaints have been brought to the department’s attention.

As the Traffic Division has not received any complaints, no solutions have been proposed or considered to-date.

Waltham Public Schools, responsible for maintenance of Leary and Yetten Fields, was not available for comment.