BY ALEX CANTATORE
Staff Reporter
The effort to build a Miracle League field in Turlock, a rubberized baseball field for physically and mentally disabled children, appears to be a hit with Turlock city government. But while the Park, Recreation & Community Commission unanimously voted to endorse the project last Wednesday, attempts to locate a suitable site for the facility have struck out so far.
Representatives from the Miracle League of Northern San Joaquin Valley originally proposed recommissioning the center field at the Turlock Regional Sports Complex as the Miracle League field. However, that idea was struck down by Municipal Service representatives, who cited excess demand for the limited number of existing soccer fields at the sports complex as reason the location was unsuitable.
“I focused more on Pedretti Park,” said Municipal Services Director Dan Madden. “From my perspective, baseball fields, for whoever, would be better suited at a baseball complex. We do have some available open space there that would fit the dimensions of the field.”
Madden presented preliminary diagrams showing a Miracle League-size field, spanning just 125 feet from home plate to the center field wall, tucked into the grassy area between fields two and five at the northeast corner of Pedretti Park.
The right field wall would approach the fence separating Pedretti from Highway 99, while the left foul line would run alongside the path leading from the north parking lot.
Miracle League representatives seemed tentatively excited about the new location, though a few nagging concerns need to be addressed.
“Pedretti Park would potentially be a very good location,” said Terry Battcher, founder of the Miracle League of Northern San Joaquin Valley. “But our field needs to be close to restrooms, close to shelter, and close to parking, and I’m not sure we have that there.”
“Our athletes aren’t exactly marathon runners,” he continued. “It’s definitely not an objection, it’s just questions I would have.”
Municipal Services employees believed that most concerns could be allayed, as a restroom is planned for the area and there looks to be enough room for a shade structure as well. The main unaddressed issue at this point is whether the distance from parking is walkable, and whether road noise at the proposed location might disrupt some players.
Other options discussed at this point included repurposing one of the existing fields at Pedretti Park, farther away from the highway, or perhaps building the Miracle League field at a Turlock school.
While not in use by the Miracle League, whose seasons run in Fall and Spring on Saturday mornings, the facility could be used as a T-ball field, or programs such as disabled soccer leagues and senior citizen aerobics classes could be held in the outfield.
The PRC Commission unanimously approved the concept of a Miracle League field in Turlock, though they did not decide on a location at this time. Municipal Services employees will meet with Miracle League representatives to further discuss available land within Turlock that could fit the two-acre field, and will then report back to the PRC Commission monthly.
“I think this program is wonderful,” said PRC Commissioner Gabriele Kinsella. “I would want to be a part in helping to get you up and running.”
Miracle League officials are confident that, once they secure a location, they will be able to get up and running fairly quickly by raising the $1 to $2 million needed to construct a field. Visalia, the nearest such field, attracts players from an hour away or more, while there are more than 7,000 children just within Stanislaus County who could benefit from the field.
“I’m confident if there’s a good cause, and there’s a good enough reason to do it, you’ll find an outcry of support from the community,” Battcher said. ” (My family was) considering driving to Visalia (so my son could) play and I guess if I’m crazy enough, there must be other people out there too.”
To contact Alex Cantatore e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com, or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.
Originally published in the Turlock Journal 7/16/2008.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.