By NATE KING
Salina Post
At its Monday meeting, The Salina City Commission voted in favor of renaming two fields located at the Berkley Family Recreational Area.
The two fields receiving new names are Tower Field and Wilbur Field. Wilbur Field will now be named Pestinger Family Stadium and Tower Field will be named Roger Wilbur Field.
"We come before you on this to change the names of some fields out there to help us like Berkley Family Recreation Area helped us with the fundraising and helps us contribute to this project," said Byron Tomlins, board member for Salina Baseball Enterprises.
Tomlins also provided commissioners with a brief history of baseball in Salina.
"Mr. Evans and his involvement in baseball, and then add to that Pestinger Family Stadium. I think it's a great summary of baseball history on people who have made a difference in Salina," Tomlins said. "That's one of the goals is to preserve and recognize the history of people that made a difference in Salina."
Commissioners expressed satisfaction that private sources were used to fund the baseball projects.
Vice-Mayor Bill Longbine asked Tomlins if renovations would be completed prior to the start of the baseball season.
"Are you still on track to play baseball in the spring?" Longbine asked
Tomlins said the plan is to begin renovations in November with hopes of completing it by April — weather permitting.
Salina Baseball board member, Kenny Hancock, was also in attendence at the meeting.
"Originally, we wanted to start in October, and because we weren't able to get the development agreement signed and all the wording done, we had to kick the can down the road a little bit," Hancock said. "November is when we would really like to start. That's maybe a little bit in peril, don't know for sure, depending on how quickly we can raise the rest of the money. "
Hancock put into perspective the size of the project in comparison with past turf projects.
"When we did Dean Evans and South High we did about 250,000 square feet of turf," Hancock said. "Since it's one single field and it's in one location, this is about 130,000 square feet. So right at half the size."
According to Hancock, Turf industry representatives said the project could still be completed on schedule even if the start date is delayed to December.
Hancock said Salina Baseball Enterprises wants the project to be completed by the time the state high school baseball class 4A tournament which is scheduled to be held at the end of May 2024.
Other items discussed by the Commission
The Salina City Commission meeting also included the following items:
The recognition of the week of Oct. 15 as National Friends of the Library Week in Salina.
Approval, on second reading, requesting a change in zoning district classification from Agriculture to Planning Service Commercial zoning district on a 25.91-acre tract of land located at the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Water Well Road.
Accept the offered easement and restricted access dedications from the Mark Augustine Trust to serve the proposed Augustine addition, a four-lot sub-division of a 25.9-acre tract of land located at the southwest corner of water well road and South Ninth Street.