The Billy Kiersey Baseball/Softball Complex is getting multiple upgrades in advance of the 2025, a couple of which are due to the Booneville School District.
Because the BSD uses the park for its high school, and beginning this year junior high, softball and baseball teams, Jyme Beth Diffee has written a pair of JUA (Joint Use Agreement) grant proposals for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education which have been approved and will enhance the park.
One of the grants was for $10,000 and will completely refurbish batting cages used by softball teams, said Diffee, who is the Booneville Elementary School principal.
Replaced will be tattered netting and, rather than a dirt flooring, those working on their swing will be standing on a concrete base, as is the case with the batting cage utilized by baseball players, which was also acquired through a previous grant.
Atop the concrete base will be a turf tarp.
Funds have not been released as yet but Diffee also acquired $30,000 for playground equipment.
“The playground equipment is to give kids that aren’t playing ball a place to be active and be playing and not be on iPads,” said Diffee. ":That’s the premise with both (grants), to increase the activity of children.”
Also, she adds, the location of the playground equipment was selected with safety as a top priority as parents or guardians could have children located in multiple areas of the complex.
“It was intended that the equipment would be positioned where there is a back fence and fences along two sides so someone could not easily walk away with a child,” said Diffee.
Specifically the route out of the park will be only through the middle of the complex.
“Parents can be safe feel safe sending their kids down there to play because they have to go right past everyone on the way out,” said Diffee.
The two grants bring to three the total Diffee has been behind and five the district has helped acquire through the JUA program.
Others have included the batting cages utilized by baseball, tennis court refurbishing at Marcelle Phillips City Park, and the creation of a Frisbee golf course, also at Marcelle Phillips.