SHASTA.FLD Page 1 <br /> For December 3, 1993 Council Newsletter <br /> Update on Ballfield Selection Process to Install Lighting as a Replacement for Kincaid <br /> Field, and Ballfield Lighting Rehabilitation Project Scheduled for Shasta Ballfield <br /> Following Council directions, LRCS Recreation Division and Public Works Parks Planning <br /> are working on the public process needed to develop recommendations for where the <br /> ballfield lighting previously planned for Ascot Field will be relocated. During the <br /> October 25th, Council meeting it was suggested that Amazon's Century Ballfield and the <br /> soccer /softball field immediately to the west may be the preferred location. Parks <br /> Planning has the development of a park general plan for Amazon Park on its future <br /> workplan. Staff feel that the public review process for adding lights at this location <br /> and the development of the Amazon Park General Plan need to be performed <br /> simultaneously. Doing this would be the most efficient way to insure we avoid <br /> conflicting uses and obtain the full range of public comment needed for a successful <br /> project. The first step of this process will be to prepare a public involvement <br /> proposal and general plan project schedule for review by the Citizens Involvement <br /> Committee. An approximate estimate of elapsed time for this process would be eight to <br /> twelve months starting with the CIC process approval in early 1994. <br /> The initial reason for the ballfield lighting rehabilitation projects was the extensive <br /> deterioration of the wooden poles found at the various fields. The consultant study <br /> conducted identified severe problems of rot existing in many of the poles and cross <br /> arms at each ballfield. Last winter a light fixture fell from a pole at Kincaid due to <br /> rot in the cross arm. When the poles were removed this September from Kincaid and <br /> Graham Ballfields the severity noted in the consultant report was confirmed. The rot <br /> observed in the base of some the poles involved the majority of the cross sectional <br /> area. <br /> The public input and decision making process for determining an appropriate site to <br /> install lights to replace those intended for Ascot Ballfield will take approximately a <br /> year. Staff propose that instead of storing the materials which were already purchased <br /> for Ascot Ballfield, we continue to mitigate our liability exposure by using these to <br /> replace poles at the three lighted ballfields at Shasta. Assuming we perform the <br /> replacement this winter, the lighting at Shasta Ballfields is expected to be <br /> operational prior to the start of the 1994 spring /summer softball season. <br /> Moving the Shasta Field project up a year will free up the FY -95 capital funds <br /> identified for this project. These funds could then be used for lights at Century <br /> Ballfield and soccer /softball field immediately to the west or any other alternate <br /> ballfield identified through the public process. If you have any concerns regarding <br /> moving ahead with this proposal or a need for more information please contact Johnny <br /> Medlin of PW Maintenance at 687 -5220 or Doug Post of LRCS Recreation Division at <br /> 687 -5333. <br />