Columbus councilmen decided Monday to hold off on a decision for funding a Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority proposed “Field of Dreams” at Propst Park.
The council wants to see how the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors handles a similar request from CLRA officials.
On Thursday, Greg Lewis, the executive director of the CLRA, went before the council and requested $100,000 to help fund the baseball field at Propst Park. Lewis indicated that he would ask Lowndes County supervisors for similar funding.
The field, according to the funding request included in a packet at the appropriations hearing, is a proposed 15,000 square foot handicapped-accessible field with fall safe surfaces. It would have a rubberized coating meant to drain quickly and allow for easy movement for athletes with disabilities, according to Lewis.
As discussion began Monday, Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem suggested the board wait for finalized numbers on the project cost before making a decision on a funding commitment. Lewis has indicated the field’s total cost would be about $250,000.
At Monday’s meeting, though, Debbie Taylor, the treasurer with Golden Triangle Outdoors, said the cost would be closer to $350,000. Golden Triangle Outdoors is helping raise funds for the project. Taylor said a plan with “all the bells and whistles” could cost up to $400,000, but supporters are not looking to build the most expensive option.
“I just want the mayor and council to duly note that maybe there can be another meeting where we can find out what we can do to maybe not build a Taj Mahal but do something out there,” Karriem said.
Mayor Robert Smith said he supports the project but suggested councilmen wait for the county to make a decision before moving forward with a commitment to the park. Even then, he said the city wouldn’t be obligated to match whatever donation the board of supervisors might opt to make.
“Maybe we could look at what the county is going to do when they make their suggestion,” Smith said. “Even if we don’t deal with it in the budget here, maybe we could look at going into our discretionary funds to see if we could come up with $25,000 or something like that.”
Taylor thanked the council for their support, but implored them to make some sort of obligation during Monday’s meeting. She said any support from the city would help spur on private donation efforts. Golden Triangle Outdoors has raised about $40,000 for “Field of Dreams” and is working to gather more funds from the community and through grants.
“Y’all have told us you’re behind it,” Taylor. “We believe you’re behind it. The county has told us they’re behind it and we believe them. But until the public sees that you have allocated ‘X’ amount of dollars, it’s hard for us to get additional funding because all we’re telling them is you’ve verbally committed something to us. You don’t have anything on the line.”
The council voted to have Karriem and Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin meet with supervisors to discuss the matter further.
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