By Joe Bachman
Editor

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Local baseball teams want top-notch fields to play on, and the city concurs.

However, grant requirements for what would be from Major League Baseball Scott’s Field Refurbishment Program must have a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to apply, which the city is not. This leaves the door open for support of local organizations that qualify as non-profit, such as the Wisconsin Rapids Youth Softball Association (WRYSA) to apply for the grant instead.

The grant request is in the amount of $50,000. If accepted, this grant, which does not have to be matched, will cover a large portion of the costs that will come with the Mead Field master plan concerning the baseball fields.

The master plan and multi-use complex would include new baseball fields, and other park-related amenities. The idea was brought to the city by the Wisconsin Rapids Baseball/Softball User Group Co-Op, which is made up of multiple local baseball organizations, including American Legion Post 9 Baseball, WRYSA Baseball, Men’s Softball Association, and the Women’s/Co-Ed Softball Association.

“The consensus of the group is that the donation of the funds would go to the city for refurbishing that field,” said Public Works Director Joe Terry. “If the grant was successful, they just wanted the city to have the funds right out of the gate.”

The city will write an open letter in support of the grant request, assuming the money used would fall into the vision of the Mead Field master plan.