Shade Structure Installed at Softball Complex
Thanks to a public private partnership, the Oahe Softball Complex is getting an upgrade.
Today, the City Parks Department is installing a new shade structure to Field A at the complex. The shade structure is just one of a number of improvements the complex will see this year as a result of a partnership between the City of Pierre, the Oahe Softball Association (OSA) and a grant from Pierre’s Business Improvement District (BID).
Other improvements coming to the complex this year include new backstop fences to all of the fields on the west side of the complex, a new sound system, a picnic shelter, and some new line fences. All told, the upgrades cost about $30,500.
OSA contributed about $8,500 toward the project, the BID Board provided a $22,000 grant, and the City is handling the labor and maintenance.
Tom Farnsworth, City Parks and Recreation Director, says that this is a prime example of a public private partnership.
“We had a user group with a plan and some resources that asked to partner with the City to realize the improvements,” said Farnsworth. “Because these improvements can help attract new tournaments to Pierre, we were able to leverage some BID board dollars.”
Farnsworth doesn’t expect the partnership to end there.
“We’re going to see if the shade structure installed today holds up well,” said Farnsworth. “If so, the City and the Association will partner to add more shade structures to other fields later this year.”
Each shade structure costs about $3,500.