Waynesville council backs quick Vance Street conversion while seeking cost estimate to restore Dutch Fisher field

Residents urged the Town of Waynesville to prioritize restoring Dutch Fisher Softball Field, and the town council responded by authorizing a faster, lower-cost conversion of an existing Vance Street field while asking staff for a detailed estimate to restore Dutch Fisher.

Dozens of parents, former players and coaches told the council during public comment that Dutch Fisher is central to Mountaineer Little League and girls’ sports in Haywood County. “This field isn’t just dirt and grass to us,” said Rhonda Buchanan, a former Mountaineer Little League board member, describing the site as “a classroom without walls” where players learn leadership and teamwork. Several speakers said Hurricane Helene’s flooding forced teams to practice elsewhere and that prolonged delay risks losing participants.

At a staff presentation, design consultants outlined two paths: a comprehensive, flood‑resilient rebuild of Dutch Fisher or a targeted renovation of an alternate site. Consultants said meeting FEMA guidance for flood resilience adds design and construction cost; they reported a professional estimate of $3,100,000 to rebuild Dutch Fisher with new restroom/concession building, stream restoration, subsurface drainage and other resilient features. Staff said a combined rebuild of Dutch Fisher and Vance Street would total roughly $5,400,000, though contingency and bid results could change that figure.

Given the price difference and the council’s goal of getting girls back on a home field before spring, a council member moved to renovate the rec‑park athletic field at Vance Street as a softball field at an estimated cost of $350,000 and to renovate Dutch Fisher in its original footprint once staff provides a firm estimate. The motion passed on a voice vote.

Council and staff discussed ways to reduce scope and cost — for example, removing a press box or limiting drainage work — and emphasized that FEMA reimbursement is a reimbursement program (work is done first, then the town seeks repayment). Staff also encouraged residents to contact federal representatives to help expedite FEMA approvals and noted local fundraising commitments: Dick’s Sporting Goods pledged a $50,000 check toward Dutch Fisher.

The council asked community volunteers and Mountaineer Little League leaders to produce a restoration estimate for Dutch Fisher. For the immediate season, the town will pursue the quicker Vance Street renovation so the girls’ league can play while the longer FEMA‑aligned design and funding work continues.

What’s next: Staff will return with a restoration cost estimate for Dutch Fisher, and the town will proceed with the lower‑cost Vance Street conversion to restore playing opportunities as soon as practicable.