Jones Trust denies grant toward new ball fields | emporiagazette.com

The proposed $6.5-million Northwest Park ball complex took a setback Monday when the Emporia Recreation Commission announced that the W.S. and E.C. Jones Trust denied the commission a $3,247,500 grant toward the project.

?I think the numbers that we have with baseball and softball, being what they are, I think our board just needs to take a real hard look at the scope and the size of our project that we are trying to take on,? said Commission Chair Jim Markowitz. ?I personally don?t see the numbers coming back up to where they need to be.?

The Lee Beran Recreation Center has nine baseball, six softball and seven machine pitch baseball teams, said Sports Supervisor Brian Erwin.

The commission is considering plans to build four large multi-purpose fields and four smaller fields at a complex next to the Jones Aquatic Center.

Recreation center is using 6.5 mills of its eight mills. It is currently seeking grants for the complex to help off-set about half of the cost for taxpayers. If the commission proceeds with its plan, it will likely need to use the remaining 1.5 mills.

Markowitz said at this point, the commission may have to scale down the project.

?I personally don?t believe that we can afford (it) without a grant of that size and that nature,? he said. ?I just don?t feel we can afford a project that big.?

Markowitz said he thinks a smaller project will be successful if city of Emporia, Emporia State University, Emporia School District and recreation center work together.

Recreation Commissioner Kevin Nelson said maybe the commission is going to be in economic times for a while and have to invest in other outdoor sports projects and facilities in the community ? such as the Trusler Sports Complex.

He said the commission should discuss possible solutions when all the members are present. Three members of the eight-person commission were not at Monday?s meeting.

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