Chelan approves Berger partnership for Chelan Gorge field design

CHELAN—The city council took another step toward renovating a ball field at Chelan Gorge Park during its regular bi-monthly meeting March 26. It authorized Mayor Erin McCardle to finalize and execute a professional services agreement with the Berger Partnership for the design of the park's athletic field.

“We’ve been working with them on some grants we recently submitted to the RCO (Recreation and Conservation Office) for improving our baseball facilities there,” Parks and Recreation Director Paul Horne said. “This is one that we funded by a $100,000 from the PUD that I acquired a year ago,”

Chelan County PUD No. 1 is providing $100,000 for the design component, and the city added a ten percent match of $10,000. This is the first grant the city has received from PUD No. 1 through the Public Power Benefit Program.

The parks department overview states that Input parameters include reconfiguring the fields to minimize their footprint to best accommodate youth baseball, fast-pitch softball, and senior baseball, all of which can use smaller fields. The high school-age teams play at the high school fields.

Must haves: 

∙ 3 diamond fields oriented toward youth 12 and under and fastpitch softball (200’ fences).

∙ 1 batting cage. 

∙ Athletic field lighting – (energy efficient dark sky compliant). 

∙ Spectator seating bleachers. 

∙ Dugouts. 

∙ One or more of the diamond fields should be able to accommodate multiuse rectangular fields also geared toward kids 12 and under (potentially 75’ instead of 100’).

∙ Walking path circumnavigating the park, connecting to Riverwalk Park, and surrounding sidewalk network. 

∙ Irrigation. 

∙ Building with concession stand, restrooms, and potentially a small community club house to accommodate groups (such as the VFW who are currently using a small clubhouse on site). 

∙ Neighborhood park scale playground. 

∙ Parking enhancements 

Nice to haves: 

∙ Covered batting cage. 

∙ Standard site furnishings. 

∙ Modest picnic shelter/ picnic tables.

At the previous council meeting on March 12, Mayor Erin McCardle reported that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County has been meeting with the Chelan Community Center to explore potential opportunities in the city. 

“As a coincidence those folks sit on the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation board,” said McCardle. “When we brought (the Gorge Park field) up to them, they were very excited. These are exactly the kinds of projects they like to support.”

McCardle said discussions will continue with the foundation toward possible support for the other fields at Chelan Gorge Park.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media