ARCHBOLD WEATHER

New Diamond On Track




Members of the Archbold Park Board learned the first phase of the new baseball diamond in Memorial Park is on track to be finished by the Sept. 1 completion date.

Park Board met Wednesday, Aug. 8.

While the grading for the new diamond will be complete, there’s no word yet about a state grant to provide fencing, said Jennifer Kidder, Archbold Parks & Recreation director.

In a later interview, Kidders said grant applications were due June 1, “but it usually takes quite a while” to find out if the grant has been awarded.

“I am not optimistic that we will have a fence before the end of the year,” she said.

After baseball diamond contractor crews finish their work, Kidder said Parks & Recreation crews and volunteers from North Star Steel will work on the irrigation system.

A workday is set for Thursday, Oct. 4.

About 30 to 35 volunteers from Worthington Steel have committed to work with Parks & Recreation workers to plant trees in the area of the new diamond.

The trees will be planted in areas where they will not interfere with future development, Kidder said.

Worthington Steel has committed about $2,000 to the project, while Park Board has set aside $3,000. She said she is working on additional money for the tree-planting project.

Kidder said a large auger will be used to dig the holes for the trees.

Maintenance

Andrea Thiel, Park Board president, said she was concerned about what she saw as a lack of maintenance at baseball diamonds in the parks over the summer.

If the board is spending large amounts of money to build a new diamond, the community needs to see that the board is taking care of the diamonds it already has.

In the later interview, Kidder said Thiel’s concerns have been addressed.

Vaughn Bentz, a member of both Park Board and Archbold Village Council, again brought up the issue about a lack of shelter on the east end of Woodland Park, near the soccer fields.

During a recent game, Bentz said rain forced players, coaches and spectators to the parking lot, where they sought shelter in cars.

Kevin Morton, councilman and Park Board member, asked if there are shelters at the baseball diamonds.

Bentz said the parking lots are closer at Memorial Park.

“Seriously, we need to consider” shelter houses at the east end of the park, Bentz said.

Kidder said Parks & Recreation has 18 flag football teams for third and fourth graders, and a new flag football league has been formed with Evergreen, Delta, Swanton, Wauseon, and North Central.

Games are to start this week.

Kidder also said karate classes have been added to Parks & Recreation offerings.

Thiel said she appreciated adding new, different programs.

A2A

Board members also discussed the Austin To Archbold concert series.

Kidder said so far, all the money spent on the series has gone to paying musicians, renting tents, sound equipment, and other expenses to put on the concerts.

None was left over for advertising, other than what’s been done on social media.

She said Parks & Recre- ation maintains an email list with more than 1,000 addresses. That list has been used to promote the concerts.

Kidder said a grant has been received from the Ohio Arts Council, which will provide enough money to do additional advertising.

Morton questioned bringing in food trucks for the concerts, saying he would rather see local restaurants or nonprofit organizations provide food for the events.

Josh Johnson, recreation program specialist, said the music choices for the A2A events do not appeal to a younger crowd.

“Someone my age would go to the first one, and not come back,” he said.

Morton said he has heard negative comments along those lines.

Dexter Krueger, a board member, was absent.

The next meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 19, 7 pm, in council chambers.



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