News

Lycoming College presents preliminary baseball field study to city committee

With Lycoming College having a collegiate baseball team, the college has approached the city about a proposal it has for a new baseball facility at Brandon Park.

The discussion took place with the Williamsport City Council Public Works Committee.

Lycoming College is exploring a partnership with the city that has the potential to improve the quality of the city's parks and recreation facilities while also benefiting needs related to the college's athletic programs, said Chip Edmonds, Lycoming College executive vice president.

The committee as a consensus appeared engaged and eager for more progress.

Kent Trachte, college president, noted the college board of trustees have supported forwarding arrangements with regard to Brandon Park and a new baseball facility that the college would utilize and one that would benefit the community.

Lycoming College has both short- and long-term goals for the sport. The college had a fall baseball season -- playing at a local high school field and utilizing Bowman Field, which is not the ideal location for the college to continue to use.

Moreover, Edmonds and Trachte were aware of significant investments the city was making in Brandon Park for its upgraded facilities and believed the proper legal arrangement between city and college should be pursued.

The administration of Mayor Derek Slaughter was open to the idea, and it and the college board supported working together on a possible upgraded collegiate-quality baseball field in Brandon Park, one in which the college would make some investment.

The college engaged the firm Derck and Edson to develop a conceptual study for the feasibility of the field and showed the board the study. The committee looked Wednesday at preliminary drawings and data.

Trachte said he believed it necessary before continuing with this process of design development to obtain more precise cost estimates to show the committee the proposal.

Then, the college with the city will work through the political process, which will include public meetings, to an actionable item legally codifying what the facility would be.

To allay concerns about existing nearby athletic facilities the college is keenly aware of the commitment and investment that city and Williamsport Area Little League is making to the existing junior field as well as city investment of the tennis courts and the partnership with St. John Neumann Academy.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has recommendations. Facility design would take into account foul balls, lighting, and support structures.

An example of a similarly designed facility from FDU Madison University was shown to the committee.

The vision is for regional or local games to be played. The college may be seeking a lease arrangement, he said.

Councilwoman Bonnie Katz, council vice president and committee chairwoman, said she thought the concept was a fantastic project.

To have the college invest and see major improvement should be well received, she said.

Her questions focused on the rendering and whether there would be adequate seating. She also asked about the proposed artificial turf and whether balls hit foul would damage nearby properties and parked vehicles.

Seating for 275 to 300 spectators was deemed adequate. Grass fields can result in early season games postponed or canceled. Artificial turf can eliminate concerns about frost or snow as they do with maintenance needs at the college's Shangraw Complex used by lacrosse, soccer and football teams, said Jeffrey Bennett, the college's vice president for finance and administration.

The item was for discussion only.