Manhattan private school takes Red Hook football ground from local team

A Manhattan private school, Xavier High School, located at 30 West 16th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, is planning on spending $2.5 million to revamp a worn-out public playing field at Columbia and Bay streets in Red Hook, angering coaches of a local Red Hook football team, the Red Hook Raiders.

By upgrading the pitch with footlights and new bleachers, Xavier will be guaranteed certain practice times from 3p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, messing up the schedule for the Red Hook club, according to the Brooklyn Paper. “My kids live here,” said coach Daniel Clay. “They should be the first priority.”

Red Hookers involved in the debate are pointing fingers at the city. Its inability, they say, to maintain public facilities, often leads to privatization. [Brooklyn Paper]