By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – Funding is now in place to install the first phase of synthetic turf on the Volunteer Ballfield near Fairchild Airport, and we have an update on the pump track going in at Erickson Playfield.
The City Council Wednesday night approved acceptance of two $350,000 grants from the Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office for the projects.
The grant for the ballfield was dependent on the City coming up with matching funds, and Parks and Rec Director Corey Delikat says for that, we can thank a local donor.
“We didn’t have a match for it, but we had a person who wanted to remain unknown donate, or pledge, $200,000 towards the project, with hopes that we can raise additional funds so that match goes down a little bit for this person.”
Delikat says phase 1 of the ballfields will be installing the synthetic turf along the infield, infield collars and the bullpens. Phase 2, when the rest of the funding is in place, will be doing the outfield. The project is set to begin in the spring.
As for the pump track, that’s scheduled to begin on May 1. The original proposal would have had it installed by this winter, but Delikat says, with all they had to do to get the Dream Playground put in and weather concerns, they thought it best to push it back a few months.
“And so we felt the City and the Lincoln Park BMX, that it would be best to just hold off until the beginning of Spring. And that way, too, it allows them to fundraise some additional money to add some features that will require less maintenance. And so that’s what they’re working on well.”
The big estate sale last weekend to raise money for security lighting at Erickson Playfield had raised $4,400 as of Saturday, and Delikat says plans are moving ahead fast to get a design and action plan in place.
“We met out there at Erickson, and we did come up with kind of a scope of work. CED is working with our light department and they’ve kind of come up with some drawings of what this could look like and what type of fixtures they would be. And so we’re confident moving forward that this is going to be a vital project.”
(Photo: Volunteer infield.)