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Minor Ball Association asks Sparwood for help

Baseball is back and the Sparwood Minor Ball Association is asking the District for help in making the season run a little smoother.

It’s that time of the year again. Baseball is back and the Sparwood Minor Ball Association is asking the District for help in making the season run a little smoother.

Representing the Sparwood Minor Ball Association, Jill Klapp spoke at a council meeting on May 6 to explain how baseball in Sparwood has started to take a toll on the available facilities.

“We are dealing with 100 kids, sometimes five games a week, and hosting communities from Claresholm, Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Sparwood, and Elkford,” Klapp explained. “There has been significant growth that’s happening within Sparwood Minor Ball and so it’s really becoming a reflection of our community.”

The association offers baseball to kids between the ages of three and 16 and utilizes two baseball diamonds that were beginning to look a little worse for wear. Klapp asked the District if they would consider assisting in the upkeep and maintenance of the two dugouts and diamonds.

Klapp is also hoping the District will allow and finance the installation of an electrical outlet.

“A lot of our skill development devices, like the pitching machine require a power outlet,” she said. “Right now we’re using a generator that is incredibly loud and it does not allow for active one on one coaching.”

Klapp went on to say, “We would also like to install a concession. We could start to build our own revenue and rather than defer costs to taxpayers in Sparwood, we could build our own revenues, share it with soccer, share it with lacrosse, and share it amongst our baseball teams.”

In addition, the association is asking the District to waive or reduce user fees for use of the Rec Centre for indoor skill development.

Mayor and council will consider the requests and the matter will be brought back at a future council meeting.