Simplified: A south-central Sioux Falls neighborhood association is working to transform a park into a baseball diamond with the help of a grant from the city.
Why it matters
- The city awards thousands of dollars in grants each year to neighborhood associations who want to make improvements like planting trees, painting crosswalks or, in the case of the Heather Ridge Neighborhood Association, a $12,000 grant to help build a baseball field.
- Neighbor Emily Fink – a professional grant writer – is helping the association find resources to fund what she expects will be a $150,000 project to build the field in Prairie Meadows Park near Journey Elementary school.
- The field will be named after Dane McCoy, an 11-year-old who died in 2022 after a snowmobile accident. McCoy, a resident of the neighborhood, loved playing baseball with his friends.
- Now, Fink and other neighbors are looking for businesses and other community members who would be willing to make this dream for a baseball diamond a reality. The neighbors are also working with the Harrisburg Baseball Association to bring this to fruition.
“We’re a little behind in the number of facilities available to meet the demand for baseball and softball,” said John Sutton, president of the Harrisburg Baseball Association. “There’s not plans by the city (Sioux Falls or Harrisburg) to make any other fields, so it’s great when community members step up to make things happen.”
Tell me more
The park is currently a grassy field with a small fence that could serve as a backstop for pickup baseball games, but the ground is uneven with holes that create safety hazards.
- The plans would put more emphasis on baseball with a proper baseball diamond, including a fence from third to first bases, even ground, a dirt infield and dugouts. There will also be a concrete walkway from the parking lot for handicap accessibility.
Heather Ridge neighbors have been working with the city parks department and compiled a project proposal document that will ultimately need approval from the City Council once funding is raised. Fink anticipates that approval will come in May or June.
"What’s cool about this is that the field is in a city park and open to the public," Fink said. "You won’t be able to reserve it. It's first come, first served."
What happens next?
The neighborhood association is in full-on fundraising mode because if they don't spend their grant from the city by October, they forfeit the funds.
Fink said she's applying for additional grants, and the neighbors are seeking business sponsors.
You can follow along with the baseball diamond's progress and find ways to help on the project website.
