| Members of the Huntington Stake assemble 66 new picnic tables. |
Improvements are being made at the Huntington Ball Complex and the Bear Creek Campground.
The Emery County Recreation District received a grant of $130,000 for improvements at the two county owned facilities from the Community Impact Board. New dugouts are being placed at the ball complex and new 10 foot fencing on three of the fields. The higher fences will make it more difficult for the batters to get a homerun. The original fencing was completed in an era before the metal bats became popular and result in better hits. Red dirt has also been spread on the fields.
The money for the improvements did not become available until late April and the bids were advertised and awarded in May afterwhich construction began. The softball teams, girls, mens and ladies as well as co-ed teams have been very cooperative with the delay in the beginning of their softball seasons reported rec district officials. When the crews tore out the old dugouts they found another underground dugout beneath the dugout. These also had to be removed which delayed the construction of the new dugouts.
The new dugouts will have a roof and a bench for the players inside a wire cage. Also coming later in the season will be the foul ball net which will protect spectators from foul balls hit from the fields.
Sixty-six aluminum picnic tables have been installed at the Bear Creek Campground. The Huntington Stake put the picnic tables together in a day which was a big help to the recreation district. Young men and women and their adult leaders assembled and worked together until all the tables were completed. Approximately 60-70 people participated in the service project.
“Emery County Commissioner Drew Sitterud and Bevan Wilson who sits on the CIB, were instrumental in obtaining the grant for the county,” said recreation board members. Last year the grant was turned down by the CIB and the district reviewed the application and made the needed changes and resubmitted the grant application this year where it was approved. Wilson was also instrumental in the building of the recreation building in Castle Dale.
Also within the grant will be improved lighting at the tennis courts at the complex. Lights will be placed on a timer so players can turn them on for after dark play.
Another part of the grant includes a state of the art trap shooting range on the Des-Bee-Dove road near the county landfill. Two five-man shooting stations will be constructed with state of the art automatic trap throwers. Future plans for the trap range also include lighting the range for some night shooting. The Emery County Trap Shooters will hold trap shoots throughout the winter and plans are also being made for tournaments to be held at the range. For more information on trap shooting in the county contact Jason Jewkes at 384-3279.
“This project is a real benefit to the local communities. All of the bids went to local Emery County contractors to do the work, it’s a win win effort for everyone involved,” said rec district officials.