Colfax approves improvements for Tom Prince Memorial Park
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax youth baseball program will now be able to start fund raising for improvements at Tom Prince Memorial Park.
The youth baseball group wants approval for their projects, such as replacing the fence around the ball diamond, so they can start fund raising, said village trustee Clint Best, who is chair of the parks committee.
The parks committee met October 12.
The people who handle the Little League program have been fund raising, and they are very organized, said Anne Jenson, village trustee and a member of the parks committee.
They wanted the village board’s approval, said Jeff Prince, village president and a member of the parks committee.
The village board previously approved the batting cage, and they already have raised some funds for that. The group wants to build another shed to store equipment, and if the village board approves, they will start fund raising for the shed, he said.
The youth baseball program wants approval for the projects but not money from the village? asked Carey Davis, village trustee.
When the fencing is replaced, the group does want the village to contribute some money, Best said, noting that the group has raised $4,700 for the batting cage and still needs an additional $6,000.
Before they start raising money for the storage unit, they want the village to decide if it is going to be a temporary or permanent structure, he said.
The infields also needs dirt. When it rained the previous weekend, the infields were flooded and need drainage, Best said.
Other teams that play at Tom Prince Memorial Park say it is the worst field that the youth teams play on, Jenson said.
They also want a separation for the ball fields so the balls are not flying back and forth, Best said.
In addition, the white posts along the parking lot and by the concession stand must be replaced or repaired, he said.
They want approval so they know what they are raising money for. They do not want to hold fund raisers if there is no approval, Best said.
They want to make the fence functional. The question is whether to replace the fence all at once or replace the fence three panels at a time, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.
A representative from Hayworth Fence was supposed to get back to the youth baseball group the day of the parks committee meeting, but at the time of the meeting, they had not heard from anyone from the fence company, Prince said.
The youth baseball group does not want to replace the fence until the batting cage has been installed, Best said, noting that they did not want to bat into the new fence and ruin it.
Jenson noted that the group also would like to replace some bases on both fields.
The youth baseball group does not want to do it all at once, but rather, in stages, she said.
There is no reason for the village board not to approve the projects, Davis said.
They understand they need village approval before they can actually do something out at the ball park, Prince said.
The Colfax Village Board unanimously approved the youth baseball program improvement suggestion and updates for Tom Prince Memorial Park.
Village trustee Gary Stene was absent from the meeting.
