Cochrane Minor Ball (CMB) officials are frustrated by a town decision to remove their two sea-can storage units from town-owned property and are now left scrambling to find a new location in less than 30 days.

CMB president Corey O'How voices frustration over the sudden and short notice to move the containers that have been located behind the SLS Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC) for many years.

Brad Luft, parks and open spaces manager, says new pathway construction is taking place in the area where the sea-cans were located and needed to remove. They were originally placed there without town approval many years ago and weren't the only noncompliant items removed from the area.

"The town does not allow for storage of sea-cans in its open space or on public land," explains Luft. "Taking into consideration parking, field space and the wide variety of users we serve, town parks and open spaces have limited room for storage. We have previously discussed options with CMB and other user groups but have been unable to find a mutually suitable solution for CMB."

Minor ball said they wouldn't have invested in a second sea-can this year if they knew this was in the works.

"At the end of April, we were told they were going to be connecting some pathways back there and we were going to need to move the sea-cans but we thought we could move them to another area behind Spray Lakes. Then we were told [June 27]  that we had to move them to a new permanent location not on any town property and we were quite surprised."

"We've asked if we could put them at Matt Krol or Gleneagles. We asked if we could paint them nice or put siding on them so they don't look like a sea-can. All that was denied by the town."

The Cochrane Lions Club had offered to allow CMB to locate the sea-cans at the Lions Rodeo Park but the town said it's not an acceptable location because it is leased town land.

The push is now on and CMB is hoping a private landowner will step forward to donate some space. The offer by the town to assist with the transportation costs within a reasonable distance only stands for 30 days. After that, the association will have to shoulder the cost.

O'How says the issue is creating another barrier between the town and the minor sports association.

"It's frustrating when you have a group of volunteers and a not-for-profit minor sports organization that's trying to put any of the money it gets back into the town to make things better for the 700-plus kids that we have and the town won't be cooperative in any way to help make it any better."

Just this year, CMB installed a $20,000-plus irrigation system in the south Matt Krol ball diamond and purchased nearly $5,000 into battling cages. Last season, they paid to put in a new pitcher's mound at a Matt Krol diamond. Annually, they pay the town $25,000 for use of the diamonds.

"We continue to give and give but we don't seem to get anything in return."

O'How says such barriers make it difficult to want to work with the town on projects like the proposed quad diamonds in the new Horse Creek Sports Park.

"Right now, I think Cochrane Minor Ball would be pretty reluctant to enter into an agreement with the town on something like that because we spend a lot on the diamonds. If they want us to help pay for the new diamonds, we definitely want a lot more control over how they are run."

"We continue to spend time and money and our volunteers have to take time off work to deal with issues like this. You can understand why people get frustrated and don't want to volunteer their time to deal with this kind of stuff."

Neither Luft or O'How know how long the sea-cans have been stored behind the SLSFSC.