The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Board voted Sept. 10 to enter a two-year use-and-upgrade agreement with the Oakland and Youth Organization (OYO) to operate the Lee Road Park fieldhouse and invest in building upgrades. The board approved the motion by voice vote; the mover and seconder were not specified on the record.

Board members said the agreement matters because local youth baseball and softball programs now operate year-round and lack nearby indoor training space. Michael DeSantis, representing Oakland and Youth Organization, told the board the building has a usable structure but needs interior repairs, lighting, a heating and cooling solution and better access paths. “We recognize that lighting is somewhat dark in the facility,” DeSantis said, and described plans to “fix the walls and then repaint the facility.”

Nut graf: The agreement transfers day-to-day operating responsibility to OYO and commits the nonprofit to paying utilities, adding an insurance rider and investing in facility improvements. Parks staff and board members said the arrangement requires no direct department funding and could restore regular programming that previously left Lawrence youth needing facilities outside the township.

Under the proposed work plan described to the board, OYO would make a preliminary year‑one investment of about $50,000 to repair interior walls, upgrade lights and buy interior equipment such as pitching mats and hitting nets. DeSantis said the organization expects to invest roughly $100,000 over two years if the preliminary pricing holds and to pave an access path in a second year if needed. He estimated the program could serve roughly 350–400 ballplayers and run weeknight sessions from about 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and weekend blocks from about 8 a.m. to 8–9 p.m.

The organization also told the board it will pick up utilities for the building, add an insurance rider for the facility and handle alarm and lock upgrades. On restroom access, DeSantis said adding plumbing is “a little bit of a challenge” because the structure sits on a landfill; OYO said it would consider porta‑let solutions for the first winter if a permanent restroom is not feasible.

Board members and staff emphasized that any physical work in the building will proceed only in consultation with parks staff. Parks staff member Eric (surname not specified) confirmed the department has been paying utilities on the unused building since Fall Creek Little League left and welcomed the prospect of a tenant to stabilize costs and use.

The board voted to approve entering the two-year agreement for use and upgrading of the Lee Road Park fieldhouse. The motion passed by voice vote; an explicit tally and names of voters were not recorded on the transcript.

Ending: Parks staff said they will finalize the formal agreement signatures with OYO and coordinate the timing of the first improvements; OYO indicated it will begin ordering equipment and working with city staff on security and access.