BROKEN BOW—A possible baseball clinic to be held in Broken Bow is in the works. No dates have been released at this time. This spurred a conversation during Monday night’s Park Board meeting regarding usage fees.
Parks Superintendent Darren Marten said he does not want to charge for park usage. “I’m more than willing to work with them. I want people to enjoy our parks,” he said.
Chairperson Lindsay Divan and Carlene Albin said it is not about making money, but making sure the bases are covered when hosting large events in order to cover the costs of utilities and bathroom facility usage. The last park usage fee was approved in 2013.
Currently, there is a $10 fee to guarantee a reservation of a park shelter. For larger clinics or tournaments, the Park Board will consider options and compare with other communities.
The Diamond Youth Organization (DYO) provided an update to the Park Board and discussed what it would take to host a tournament in town. Baseball field conditions were heavily discussed with a plan in place to perform upkeep on fields by adding the Diamond Pro field conditioning material. The city will continue with additional upkeep.
The Diamond Pro and rain/drainage projects will be addressed and paid for thanks to a grant awarded by Royals Charities Royalty Fields Program, the charitable foundation of the Kansas City Royals. DYO President Tom Griffith said the award comes in the amount of $16,000 to match funds that have already been raised by the DYO. The money will help improve infield work at Tomahawk and Melham Parks.
The Park Board will meet on January 22 for a strategic planning meeting and the next regular meeting is scheduled for February 5 at 5:10 p.m.
