The parks and recreation department plans to spend nearly $300,000 this year to upgrade several major sports venues, including Memorial Field, Blackwell Diamond, Optimist Park and Parkhill Park.
City council voted unanimously during its Feb. 27 regular meeting to prioritize the six projects this year identified in the Outdoor Sports Fields Renewal Program. Those projects — worth $298,000 — include:
- Replacing the Memorial Field grandstand ($175,000)
- Adding a new batting cage and Learn to Play diamond benches, painting light poles, and replacing bullpen fencing and foul poles at Optimist Park ($30,500)
- Creating new bullpens and fencing top caps at Blackwell Diamond at Kinsmen Heights Regal Park to enhance future event-hosting opportunities ($22,000)
- Adding new parking lot and pathways at the Western Development Museum (WDM) ball diamonds ($49,000)
- Removing the old paddling pool and damaged batting cage at Optimist Park ($20,000)
- Installing a new park entrance sign at Parkhill Park diamonds ($1,500)
Furthermore, the department plans to address several maintenance issues using its 2023 operating budget:
- Installing new corner pins for field lacrosse at the 1996 Summer Games Field
- Removing outfield tree roots, pruning trees and repairing the outfield fence at Memorial Field
- Pruning trees at Ross Wells Park and Parkhill Park
- Levelling the infield shale at Bell Park and Optimist Park
- Repairing and painting bleachers and repairing outfield turf at Optimist Park
- Anchoring the dugouts at WDM diamonds
- Designing new cross pitch and nets at Veteran’s Peace Park soccer fields
Meanwhile, parks and recreation has included annual funding for sports field renewal in its five-year capital plan, including $50,000 in 2024, $75,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2026 and 2027.
The projected cost of all projects identified in the renewal plan is roughly $6.5 million, while only $600,000 is available over the next five years.
“This plan is important because the majority of our sports field were constructed in the ’70s, ’80 (and) ’90s, so we’re getting into that 30-year range … ,” director Derek Blais said during the meeting.
“We need to keep our eyes open for any type of partnership opportunity moving forward. It’s not going to be sustainable for the city to fund 100 per cent of these projects.”
The City of Moose Jaw has more than 60 outdoor sports fields, with many constructed through community fundraising initiatives and legacy funding projects after hosting major events, a council report explained.
The department began developing the Outdoor Sports Fields Renewal Program last year after meeting with stakeholders and user groups to identify their current and long-term priorities and completing condition assessments for each site.
Furthermore, the department launched community consultation activities to acquire feedback about a new parks and rec master plan. A household survey determined that upgrading baseball and softball/slo pitch diamonds were residents’ top 10 priorities.
Last year 13 major user groups with 2,540 registered participants accessed the city’s outdoor sports fields, the report continued.
Of the 60 sports fields, city hall operates and maintains 13; third-party groups operate five leased city fields (Hamilton Flats, Eddie Moore Park, Memorial Field, MacDonald Athletic Park and Ross Wells); and 20 belong to the two school divisions.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, March 13.
