Article published by Chris Mayew in The Alexandria Recorder
Alexandria park ballfield ready for play
Disc golf course
in the works
Written by Chris Mayhew • Apr. 5, 2013
ALEXANDRIA — For Alexandria,
Bishop Brossart High School has helped the city create a softball and baseball
field more equipped for dreams with a home run fence and dugouts.
The quality of the work by Bishop
Brossart at the field, including rebuilding the dugout and backstop, has been
excellent, said Mayor Bill Rachford.
Permanent fencing has been
installed down the foul lines, and a removable home run fence has been
installed in the outfield, Rachford said.
Beyond the physical improvements
to the field, the partnership has brought success, he said.
“Last year, we had virtually no
use of that field, and this year the schedule is full,” Rachford said.
Ron Heiert, development director
for Bishop Brossart, said the city and school have had a good working
relationship and the school’s coaches are excited about the new field. The
field will be the home for Bishop Brossart’s softball teams.
Alexandria’s Park and Recreation
Board applauded the improvements at the April 3 meeting.
Park update
The park board also set a list of
budget priorities for the park for the new fiscal year starting July 1, and
talked about ongoing work to create a nine-hole disc golf course at the park.
Disc golf uses a plastic disc and
metal baskets and uses rules similar to golf.
Board member Pam Proctor said a
volunteer has completed three disc golf fairways and is still working on
creating the others.
The board members agreed to set
an ideal deadline of July 1 to have the course completed in time for an August
disc golf tournament to be organized by disc golfers in association with the
city.
The board also discussed and
agreed to send the mayor an ideal budget comprising $18,500 worth of spending
on park infrastructure and events.
The park board’s current budget
is $10,000, but the 2011-12’ budget was $20,000.
Board chairperson Jeremy Toy said
the $1,500 cost to host two movie nights in the park is one area that could be
cut if needed, since it was not in the previous year’s budget.
“If you don’t ask, you won’t get
it,” said board member Steve Hamberg.
