Work progressing to repurpose Sparta’s former ball fields behind the YMCA into a community park featuring a playground, splash pad and walking trails.
Public Works Director Dillard Quick said the project utilizes land that previously sat vacant for most of the year after Little League operations moved to a different location. Quick said the city is funding the construction through its fund balance to create a space that serves residents across all seasons.
“We we’re having to upkeep a park that only a certain time of the year people were getting any benefit out of it,” Quick said. “The YMCA was using it for soccer and the Little League was using it for practice fields and the other 10 months out of the year, nobody was using the fields.”
Quick said playground construction has been underway since February and contractors arrived on-site this week to begin work on the splash pad. Quick said the city plans to install electrical infrastructure in the ground now to accommodate future food vendors and an amphitheater for future events. Quick said the splash pad will provide a much-needed water feature for the city’s residents.
“I think that parents are going to be able to use that because it’s going to be free,” Quick said. “It’s not going to be something that you’re going to have to pay a pool or you’re going to have to go out of town to swim.”
Quick said the park will offer a fenced-in playground area to provide a more secure environment for children and families. Quick said the facility will also include several pavilions and a measured walking trail to encourage exercise.
“It’s going to provide a bigger playground and a safer playground because it’s going to be fenced-in so the parents can walk inside and not have to watch as closely,” Quick said. “There’s people that walk and they walk on the streets in the mornings and afternoons.”
Quick said the city began clearing the old ball fields nearly two years ago to prepare the site for the transition. Quick said the most significant delay in the process involved finalizing the contracts necessary to begin the current phase of construction.
“We went out there and we tore out the ball fields,” Quick said. “It’s been almost two years ago and just getting the contract signed to get that contractor started was probably the biggest hiccup, but after that I mean everything has gone pretty good.”
Quick said city crews are currently installing storm drains and will soon begin work on sidewalks and the parking lot. Quick said the city intends to open the park in sections as different features are completed.
