The two softball infields at the Pepsi Softball Centre in Whitehorse are expected to be upgraded with a $219,150 grant from the Yukon Lottery Commision, according to a June 13 Yukon government news release.
Sarah Walz who works as executive director for Softball Yukon told the News the approximately 25-year-old infield surfaces on the fields on Range Road will be upgraded to a baseball clay material called Mar-Co clay, produced by a company headquartered in Bright, Ontario.
"Basically, what the project entails is we will be removing the material that's currently in the infields, which has been in there for I'm not entirely sure how long, but I think probably 25-plus year old," Walz said.
The new infields will include an outfield track running along the premiere of the field which Walz will not only make the sports field look nicer but also help outfielders make safer judgments about distance when engaged in play, Walz said. She added the infield renovations will improve the two infields' ability to retain water in the summer.
"Right now, our fields dry out really, really fast, and anyone that plays on them, I'm sure, knows that if we haven't had much rain, it's can be kind of like concrete, which is isn't really good for sliding, diving, makes the ball bounce like crazy sometimes, so it'll just make the playability way better," Walz said.
Renovations are scheduled to begin after the final tournament before Labour Day in late August, Walz said. Construction will follow shortly after and is expected to be completed over the winter, allowing seasonal moisture to condition the new surfaces ahead of the fields' reopening next spring, she added.
The infield upgrades are part of other facility improvements planned at the Pepsi Softball Centre, Walz said. A batting cage project is in the works and organizers hope better infrastructure and higher-quality fields will attract more competitive tournaments and boost community sports engagement.
"We also have a batting cage project going on right now in our parking lot up at the Pepsi Centre. So that's that's a really major project that's going to be completed this summer," Walz said.
Softball Yukon is prioritizing youth program development and aims to host tournaments, including possible western Canadian championships. Walz told the News that plans are also in motion for major invitational fastball events designed to spark interest and boost participation among younger players.
"We're really really focused on developing our youth programs. So we're hoping that we can host some youth, potentially some Western Canadian championships," Walz said.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
