Page 4 - RVO Hometown Morrilton June 2017

4VV SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017
HOMETOWN MORRILTON • RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Morrilton’s city baseball and softball fields were recently upgraded with new dugouts, repainted bleachers and a new restroom facility.
STEPPING
UP TO THE PLATE
Improvements at ballfields, facilities are a big hit
BY CODY GRAVES / SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER
Big improvements have been made at sev- eral Morrilton Parks and Recreation facilities, from new dugouts and resurfaced courts to the purchase of a community center.
PLAY BALL!
Morrilton’s baseball and softball fields are a popular summer destination for residents. The city recently completed $500,000 worth of upgrades to the city’s two baseball and two softball fields.
Each field received new concrete dugouts that are clean and provide adequate drainage. The fields also got new powder-coated fenc- ing and repainted bleachers with new boards. Canopies will be added to the bleachers in the near future, said Hanna Ross, parks director.
A new ramp was also added to Field 1 to allow wheelchair access to the field. Walls around the fields were decorated
with a stone design, which helps tie the aesthetics of the complex in with some of the buildings around the city, Ross said. Bathrooms, fitted with stainless-steel fixtures, were built at the field, she said.
Ross said that the upgrades to the fields will help the city attract tournaments and tourists. “Our facility was very old and outdat- ed,” she said. “Doing these improvements, it helps bring people in for tournaments that will help our community here, like
restaurants and hotels.”
Ross said that she was excited about the
much-needed improvements, and she hopes that the community will be excited as well.
“We’ve had a lot of compliments on the fa- cility, and we’re hoping this will help us grow,” she said. “We’re hoping to add new fields.”
Another $200,000 was spent upgrading the city pool, basketball and tennis courts.
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