Proposal to Upgrade Helmcken-Centennial Park

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View Royal Fastball Association

Triangle Athletic Association

Victoria Fastball Club - Devils ‘A’ program

Senior Women’s ‘D’ League

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We teach kids the game of Fastball and in doing so they learn:

How to have fun through competition

How to be good sports A work ethic To achieve goals

through cooperation with team members

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Our fastball program has a long standing history in the community

We mentor & develop the youth of today to help shape the citizens of tomorrow

We promote athletic activity in all ages

In 2007, 4 VR teams made it to Provincial Championships

View Royal Fastball has been part of community since the 1960’s

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Bantam ‘A’ Provincials – July 2006◦ 16 teams from across the province

Senior Women’s tourney – each July Team Canada Skills Clinic – June 2007 Bantam ‘C’ District Tournament – June 2007 Mite Tournament – June 2007 Frank Bell Memorial Slow pitch tournament –July 2007

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Fields are in use from March-October

Assessments & Clinics

Softball BC – ‘B’ and ‘C’ Divisions◦ 180 Regular Season Games April-July◦ 4 Minor tournaments in 2007◦ 2 Adult tournaments in 2007

FallBall – ‘all Divisions’◦ 120 Games August-October

Victoria Devils ‘A’ Division – practices & clinics to mentor other divisions

There are practices nearly every day fields are free April-July

The ‘season’ has grown from 3 to 8 months!

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Two fastball diamonds in need of upgrade One diamond that is inadequate for fastball One ‘diamond’ for Learn to Play A batting cage & warm up area Equipment sheds that are in need of repair An Executive that cares, great volunteers &

lots of enthusiasm

It’s a good park…but we need to investtime & money in it for the future

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To ‘skin’ Diamond 4 and make it a competitive fastball diamond

Upgrade our 2 existing diamonds Fix the sprinkler pipes Fix the sheds Upgrade D4 backstop & other

fencing

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Extra diamond will allow more games played and practices to be held◦ Will allow 150 + games/year more & will attract more players to the park

With proper playing surfaces we can bring Provincials, Westerns and Canadian Championships to View Royal – with economic spin off to the city

The park’s proximity to the highway is ideal for out of town teams to travel for tournaments. Lower mainland teams want to play on a good surface

Diamonds will be easier to maintain at season start and throughout season

Authenticity – playing fastball on a grass infield is like playing hockey on a gravel road. The game needs a proper field to be played safely and correctly

Demographics in Victoria are changing as young families are being pushed into the outlying districts…this facility is needed

We want to be the park in the area where everyone wants to play.

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View Royal Fastball & partners will contribute financially as well as through community donations and volunteer labour

Town of View Royal needs to contribute financially for the project to succeed

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Item Diamond 4 Diamond 2 Diamond 1Other

Infrastructure

Totals

Excavation 2,000 $2,000

Road Base 1,200 1,200

Irrigation 2,250 750 750 3,750

Infield Mix (top dress)

4,800 3,360 3,360 11,520

Backstop & Side Fencing

9,295 9,295

Equipment Shed Rebuild/Relocate

2,900 2,900

Labour & Field Layout

1,500 500 500 500 3,000

Totals 21,045 4,610 4,610 3,400 $33,655

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Estimated Total Cost of Upgrade: $33,665

Our estimates are fiscally prudent as we are budgeting for the least expensive option that will still improve the playing surface.

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*$70/ ton proposed

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We are asking for $20,655 to improve our park

1. Skin and prepare D4, including irrigation & re-setting bases and plate in Oct/Nov 2007. (This gives us three playable diamonds for spring 2008)

2. The backstop and fence work can be done over the winter or in the early spring This phase will also include the work that Town of View Royal already has budgeted funds for:

Build ‘out of play’ fences on D1; Moving the concrete barricade and out of play fence on D2. This

would facilitate levelling the right field portion of D4 near the tennis courts with the material removed from D4 when we skin it.

3. Irrigation repair and top dress D1 & D2. The irrigation repair could be done through the winter and the top dressing could be done in the spring. (This involves replacing sprinkler heads and placing heads behind home plate to allow full coverage of diamond)

4. Relocate and rebuild of equipment shed could be done at any time.

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Diamond 2

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Diamond 4

Top dressing D1 & D2 will also allow diamonds to be sloped for better drainage and will eliminate pooling

Grass in infield will be removed (aka ‘skinned’)

Backstop will be upgraded to same strength as D1 & D2

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Diamond 1 & 2 Top Dressed

Diamond 4 Skinned & Dressed

Proposed Diamond Surface Composition

Infield Mix @ 3 inch depth

Road Base @ 3 inch depth

Existing Ground Material

Infield Mix @ 2 inch depth

Existing Infield Mix @ 4 inch depth

Existing Ground Material

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100+ parents & ballplayers attend each annual field maintenance day

Volunteers regularly help maintain fields during the season

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View Royal Fastball was fully engaged in last year’s park planning process.

Diamond 1 & 2 can be top dressed in Feb/March

Diamond 4 should be skinned now before winter arrives to minimize costs and to be ready for next season

This plan will revitalize our ballpark and with a better quality playing surface will attract more players and tournaments

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10/15/2007 3/24/2008

11/1/2007 12/1/2007 1/1/2008 2/1/2008 3/1/2008

Nov. 1, 07Diamond

Excavation Complete

Mar 24, 2008Diamonds

Ready for Use

VRFA & Partner Funding & Town of View Royal Funding – Approval for Oct - March

Mar 1, 2008Final surface Prep Begins

Feb 1, 2008Fence Repairs

Complete

Dec 1, 2007Irrigation Repairs

Complete

Field Upgrade – Timelines and Funding

Sicamous, BC – (population 2,300) - 4 diamonds Duncan, BC - 2 diamonds Nanaimo, BC – McGirr Park – 4 diamonds Surrey, BC - Softball City, – 4 diamonds

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D1, our best diamond after a rainy day

The benefits to View Royal are:◦ An increased sport tourism profile◦ Increased safety and playability of fields◦ Investment in the youth of the community

We are asking permission to proceed with Diamond upgrades ASAP

We request the town aid with funding - $20,655 for this phase

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