GENTRY -- With district baseball and softball tournaments scheduled to be held at the Merill Reynolds Memorial Complex at Gentry High School next spring, renovations are being planned to improve the dugouts and spectator areas of the ballfields.
Gentry School Board, on Monday, approved a request to spend up to $122,647 to renovate and rebuild the dugouts, replace chain link fences with netting, put concrete pads from the gate entrance to and under the spectator seating area and possibly place a protective web over spectator seating areas to protect them during play.
The plan includes moving the softball dugouts further back from home plate for added safety and to make additional room for seating.
The board approved netting over the spectator seating area if there is enough money left over after other renovations and improvements are complete.
Reasoning for the requested improvements is for added safety for both players and spectators, as well as additional seating for spectators. Due to moisture and drainage issues, the softball field dugouts are rotting along the bottom, according to information presented to the board on Monday. Cement pads under the dugouts and spectator areas is expected to resolve some of the drainage issues and also prevent fans from needing to walk through wet and often muddy gravel-covered area to access the concession stand and seating areas.
With approval on Monday, the school district hopes to proceed with plans as quickly as possible so that improvements can be completed in time for the spring baseball and softball seasons.
Sports on 10/21/2015