Turf improvements progress at Bill Burke Park ball fields
Last November, work began at Bill Burke Park to improve its eight ball fields by providing new artificial turf in the infields.
As spring and summer baseball and softball programs grow near, the installation of the turf is coming along as planned, with some small ticket items to check off before the fields are ready for game play.
During 2019, Salina Parks and Recreation began a partnership with Salina Baseball Enterprises. Part of that partnership was to share costs to improve the overall baseball experience in Salina.
But when the pandemic hit local resources in 2020, one financial ramification was that the city couldn't continue with the project at that time.
Still, the city stayed committed to doing their part to help improve its various facilities. Salina Baseball Enterprises put up $4 million, and the city of Salina funded an equal amount of $4 million, for the $8 million project.
Salina Baseball Enterprises' portion of the funds went toward an array of improvements to Dean Evans Stadium.
"We had a commitment to honor the agreement and our portion of that contribution," said Jeff Hammond, director of Salina Parks and Recreation. "We funded that from transient guest tax and also cash from American Rescue Plan (Act) funds."
Project scope includes improvements at other city facilities
With that total $4 million, the total scope of work improving area facilities includes:
Turfing infields for all eight fields at Bill Burke Park
Fence improvements
Dugout and backstop upgrades
Bathroom upgrades and remodeling
Drainage issues at Berkley Family Recreational Area
Hammond said one big positive of the artificial turf being installed at Bill Burke is that in the event of heavy rainfall, fields will dry much quicker and be ready to play on much sooner.
In addition, the improved turf won't be a standard turf, he said, but a more technical and advanced turf that almost mimics grass.
Nemaha Sports Construction out of Lincoln, Nebraska, was contracted to install the turf at Bill Burke, being the low bidder at just over $1.7 million last October.
More:Salina to spend $1.7 million on Bill Burke turf improvements
Beyond Bill Burke, Salina Parks and Recreation and Salina Baseball Enterprises have a vision to improve overall baseball and softball amenities.
Those who have played on fields at the Berkley Family Recreational Area know it is infamous for drainage issues, Hammond said. Historically, heavy rainfall events there have forced the suspension of games, but planned improvements would work to alleviate that issue.
"The way the area is sloped makes it to where water drains toward the field," Hammond said. "So, when we have heavy rain, we have a lot of work to make sure it stays dry."
In addition to improvements that affect gameplay, other improvements like modernized dugouts, fencing, and bathrooms are part of an effort to improve the overall aesthetics of facilities in Salina.
Hammond said he doesn't exactly have a timeline for the turfing to be complete, with some last steps needing to be scheduled. But as of March 9, his department has been taking necessary steps to come up with a tentative timeline for completion.
Pre-cast, prefabricated bathrooms will be delivered soon, and for the fields themselves, there is some irrigation repair and replacement that needs to happen before the turf company can finish their work.
But with things crawling toward completion, Hammond said he is excited to see the end result and what it will mean for the baseball and softball communities in and around Salina.
"It will be a consistency aspect where we can accommodate different dimensions of play," Hammond said. "That's really the biggest advantage."
Kendrick Calfee has been a reporter with the Salina Journal since 2022, primarily focusing on county government and education. You can reach him at kcalfee@gannett.com or on Twitter @calfee_kc.
This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Fields at Bill Burke Park get new turf ahead of spring, summer seasons
