Bashaw: Baseball diamond renovations discussed

A request to renovate some of the Town of Bashaw baseball diamonds may end up involving the aid of a local service club. The issue of baseball diamond renovations was discussed at the July 10 regular meeting of council.

Councillors heard a presentation by Bashaw Minor Ball representatives Melanie Northey and Kerri McNalley regarding a previous request for improvements to dugouts at the municipally-owned baseball diamonds.

At a previous meeting councillors extended an invitation to Bashaw Minor Ball to visit in person to expand on the request.

Melanie stated current dugouts do get used regularly but the association would like to use them more and likely would if they were in better shape. She added in her opinion the dugouts are too narrow, a need for better storage options and improving one diamond so it meets official specifications.

Melanie stated, Bashaw Minor Ball may get asked to host certain tournaments but may not be able to host them as none of the diamonds meet those specifications; instead, Bashaw Minor Ball only handles the tournaments forwarded to it by Baseball Alberta.

Mayor Rob McDonald said he spoke to a local service club, the Bashaw Elks, and they voiced interest in helping the minor ball association with their dugout project.

Coun. Jackie Northey stated she might be able to point them in the direction of government grants.

McNalley pointed out the association does have options such as calving sheds or cinderblocks and do some fundraising and possibly sell sponsorship signs at the diamonds.

Melanie stated she also was curious whose responsibility it was, the town or the association, to improve the dugouts.

Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) noted the ball diamonds are recreational facilities so it’s essentially up to councillors to decide if town funds are used for a renovation.

McDonald closed the conversation by noting he would connect the Elks and Bashaw Minor Ball so they could talk about the project.

Stu Salkeld
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
ECA Review

About the author

Stu Salkeld

Stu Salkeld, who has upwards of 28 years of experience in the Alberta community newspaper industry, is now covering councils and other news in the Stettler region and has experience working in the area as well.

He has joined the ECA Review as a Local Journalism Initiative Journalist.

Stu earned his two-year diploma in print journalism from SAIT in Calgary from 1993 to ’95 and was raised in Oyen, Alta., one of the communities within the ECA Review’s coverage area.