Bethel Field Projects: Baseball, Softball

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For tournament considerations, limited eating establishments exist at the Delta Oaks Shopping Center about 2 minutes to the south. A five minute drive would allow access to restaurants at Valley River, Santa Clara, and along Coburg Road near Belt Line. The Valley River Inn and motels at the Gateway area are all within a 10 minute drive. The main attributes to this site are its centrality, ease of access, potential for ballfields to not impact adjacent residences, and potential to include a neighborhood park at the east edge of a park plan. 5. CRESCENT PARK: This is an existing 8.9 acre site that lies at the east end of District 4- J school property, east of Coburg Road and north of Crescent Avenue. Current access does not exist, but is expected first as Grand Cayman Drive is extended north as a part of the Crescent Meadows Subdivision. Other, more direct access, may be achieved as development plans for the area are made in future years. The site is only wide enough to accommodate two adult softball diamonds on the City's property. With youth baseball, a portion of third and fourth diamonds would fit on the park portion of this property. The site was purchased in coordination with the school for joint athletic field development, assuming that there would be some convertability for soccer. Soils at this site are not well drained. Some subterranean drainage system would be needed to gain an acceptable number of games per week in the spring. Access to this site would be via a local neighborhood street (until other streets might be built). Residential development is planned across the street immediately east and northeast of this site. Sacred Heart Hospital plans a satellite health care facility to the south. For tournament considerations, this site is about 5 minutes away from the Gateway area (motels and restaurants). Proximity to motels and restaurants is the main attribute of this site. Drawbacks are that there would not be an exclusive arrangement for more than two fields because of the commitment to jointly plan and develop on the school's property. Parking potential is more limited. The impact of the access and operation on the neighborhood is judged greatest of any of the sites compared. 6. COBURG ROAD PARK: This site lies in the triangle bounded by Coburg Road on the east, and County Farm Road on the north and west. To minimize potential traffic that would conflict with their haul route, Wildish Sand and Gravel purchased the western edge of this triangle. It can be assumed that access to this area should be from Coburg Road, or the eastern portion of County Farm Road on the north side. The majority of the site, approximately 63 acres, is owned by a church. That amount alone would accommodate a sports complex consisting of two 4 -field ball diamond layouts, four or more fields for soccer and rugby, and space to generally create a community park with picnic facilities, tennis courts, major playground, etc.