City Council discusses sports complex details

The Chelsea City Council went over details about the new sports complex at its July 21 meeting.

The layout of three baseball fields with batting cages in between did not change from the Council’s last meeting, but more details were discussed about the plans. Mayor Earl Niven said he wished others could see how much planning and work has gone into the fields at this point.

“Keith [Hager] can tell you how much dirt has been moved, but it’s been a mountain to fill a valley to make these fields,” Mayor Earl Niven said.

Keith Hager, a project manager with Spencer Engineering, presented options for the Council to consider. He said the discussion was in regard to “Phase One,” covering the parking, fencing and lighting around the first three baseball fields in the master plan of the park.

“We gotta start narrowing all this huge project down into some pieces we can handle,” Hager said.

For dugouts, Hager presented three examples of block dugouts with fencing on the front. The options were between concrete and split-face block, but the Council members agreed with a full-height fence on the front of the dugout. This would include a gated entrance to protect the players.

Hager also suggested including a storage closet for bases, chalk and other equipment within the dugouts, which Councilman David Ingram supported.

Options for shading on spectator bleachers were also presented, including a lower cost option at $2,700 per bleacher or a higher cost option at $8,000 per bleacher. After seeing these options, the Council discussed the possibility of having a local company build the coverings at a lower cost.

For another local park, Ingram said eight bleacher covers were constructed for less than $10,000.

Hager suggested nylon netting along the tops of fences to prevent fly balls from going between fields or harming spectators. Nylon netting would last for about 10 years, he said, and it provides the option to replace small sections if any tears or other damage occurred.

Away from the fields, there are plans for 212 parking spaces, a playground, a maintenance building and an electrical control building.

Lt. Don Williamson of Chelsea Fire & Rescue asked about the park’s highest capacity, citing concerns for bad weather conditions as well as how emergency vehicles could access the fields.

“The parking spaces fill up like that and they park along the roadways, and you can’t get an emergency vehicle in a complex like this to save your life,” Williamson said. “A complex this big is going to draw not only additional emergency calls, but it’s going to become a very, very popular place. Is there a tornado shelter planned for this?”

Council members said steps to prevent parking along the road will be taken, and Hagar said the concession stand and maintenance building would be constructed to provide some sort of shelter.

Further discussion about fire engine access was brought up by Chelsea Fire Chief Wayne Shirley.

Shirley asked how the maintenance building, located behind the baseball fields, could be reached by a fire engine. Plans for a 12-foot wide paved trail would likely be the way to accommodate emergency vehicles, Niven said.

Niven said the Council expects to have a plan out for bid following the next meeting, which takes place Aug. 4., so that the fields will be open by next spring.