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Parks board approves $60,000 for AUSA Park infield repairs and new batting cages
Summary
Board members approved a budget amendment increasing the Ausa Park baseball field allocation from $35,000 to $60,000 to fix infield/outfield safety issues and to add batting cages; staff said the upgrade will support high-school and adult programs and may include fundraising to offset costs.
The Winona Parks and Recreation Board on June 24 approved a budget amendment increasing funds for Ausa Park baseball-field repairs to $60,000 from an original $35,000 allocation and agreed to add batting cages as part of the scope.
Staff said the initial $35,000 estimate did not cover leveling and infield/outfield material work needed to remove hazardous “lips” that cause unpredictable bounces. Jake, a parks staff member, described how those irregularities can create safety hazards for players, saying a ball can “hop up” and strike a player. He said the additional funding will also cover installation of batting-cage infrastructure (concrete pad, poles and netting) and that multiple community groups have indicated willingness to help fundraise toward the work.
Board members discussed cage design, potential revenue and access. Staff described a non-coin, pad-and-net design intended primarily to serve team warm-ups and rentals — rental priority would go to field renters and organized programs, though some community access could be allowed when not reserved. Members asked about damage and locking; staff said cages can be secured or built to be removable for winter storage.
Why it matters: the amended funding is intended to make the field safer and more usable for high-school and adult teams and to create practice capacity (batting cages), which staff said will help local programs and could reduce pressure to use other county facilities.
Details: the $60,000 figure includes infield and outfield remediation and batting-cage installation; staff estimated about $42,000 of the immediate field work on leveling and materials, with batting cages accounting for a portion of the total, and noted some fundraising is expected to offset costs. The board approved the amendment by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
Next step: staff plans to solicit contractors for the fall (post-Labor Day) installation window and to pursue fundraising partnerships for some cage components.
