Rotary, Miracle League pitch adaptive baseball field at Field of Dreams site; council hears presentation but takes no action

Representatives of the Madison West Middleton Rotary Club and the Miracle League of Dane County presented the Verona Common Council with a plan to build an adaptive, rubberized baseball field at the Hemlock Street/Field of Dreams area and asked the council to allow staff to work with them on a long-term-lease and development plan.

The proposal, presented by Kevin, a Rotary Club representative, and Bill Schultz of the Miracle League of Dane County, would model the project on the Miracle League facility at Bakken Park in Cottage Grove. "We would like to enter into a long term lease with the city of Verona for specific land," Kevin said during the presentation, describing the group's ask as permission to develop a plan with city staff.

The Rotary said it expects to raise roughly $2.5 million to $3 million from donors, businesses and county-level support and aims to complete fundraising and construction within about two years if the project moves forward. The presenters named Findorff as the contractor they expect to use for construction and said the facility would include a flat, rubberized playing surface, accessible spectator areas and supporting amenities similar to the Cottage Grove site.

Why it matters: An adaptive Miracle League field would create…