The scene is the same nearly every weeknight, every late spring/early summer, every year:

The parents/grandparents/friends of McCook Midget League T-Ball players arrive at the way-outfield for Felling Field and park their vehicles by the entrance to the lone open gate. Some time during the game, there is a mad dash of parents back to their vehicles as they try to quickly move their cars and trucks from the No Parking spaces to avoid the police officer making his way down the block with parking tickets -- each at $10 a pop.

Unless you have had small children in youth baseball, a person may not know that nearly three blocks north of Felling Field is lined with "No Parking -- 10 minute Drop-Off" signs on the south side of the street. The No Parking ban is only in effect from 4 to 10 p.m., which just happens to encompass the T-Ball games which take place in the park's outfield.

But many parents either ignore the signs or don't notice the signs until it's too late and they are on the receiving end of a ticket, making their close parking spot fairly expensive for one T-Ball game.

(Personally, I just park on the north side of the street which allows parking. I'm a follow-the-rules, listen-to-authorities, law-abiding citizen who possibly, maybe, perhaps once had to rush out to my vehicle to move it to a legal parking space. The possibility of a $10 ticket looming over my head is enough motivation for me to walk a little bit to the field.)

The arrival of a police officer on a regular basis to issue citations causes much grumbling during and after games, yet the No Parking ban has been in effect for more years than most people can remember and is a city ordinance, according to McCook Police Chief Ike Brown.

He said the city looked at the park early on to determine how to make it as safe as possible for the primary users -- the kids.

He said the police department normally works parking violations on a complaint basis and that his office regularly receives complaints for the area during baseball season.

Parents who are on the receiving end of the tickets may beg to differ with that statement since it's an every night occurrence.

Brown said he understands that it can be inconvenient to walk that extra distance from a legal parking spot to the ballpark, especially for older people. "But our primary concern remains the safety of the children," he said.

(One reason commonly cited for the No Parking signs north of Felling Field is the need for fire trucks to maneuver down a car-filled street.

While this may seem like a valid point, the same thing could be said for many McCook streets and is the reason for the signs, Brown said.)

Some of the grumbling from the parents stems from the long stretch which bans parking, nearly three city blocks, most of it preceding the entry gate to the field.

When asked why the No Parking ban could not just encompass a few parking spaces near the gate, Brown said many kids actually walk to the park from all over the area. "The positioning of the signs ensures the safety of children who happen to cross the street further down the street rather than just by the gate."

Is there enough parking for all those T-Ball parents if the lot if full near Peace Lutheran Church and they park legally? Even Brown admitted there is not enough parking spaces but reiterated that "kids comes first."

So, do you appreciate the blocks of No Parking near Felling Field? Let the city know.

Do you detest the three blocks of No Parking near Felling Field? Then, let the city know.

Either way, it's the city which has the final say on whether those $10 parking spaces continue.

-- Ronda Graff notes that she parks near the outfield gate during youth soccer season at those same fields because they are morning games. But give it chance: the times on those No Parking signs could change.