Weirton baseball field focus of town hall
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WEIRTON -- While changes are in store for the future of the Edwin J. Bowman Baseball Field, it may not necessarily be as a site for a proposed public safety building.
City residents gathered in the Weirton Room of the Millsop Community Center Thursday evening for a town hall hosted by the Weirton Board of Parks and Recreation to hear a discussion on both projects.
"We're here to educate you on what we believe is two issues," Park Board Chair Edwin J. Bowman said. "There has been no final decision."
Weirton Council, for several months, has been discussing the possibility of developing a new public safety building, to serve as headquarters of the Weirton Police Department. After authorizing a feasibility study for the project, council met in a work session in September with representatives of Horne and King Architects, who had reviewed 16 sites in the city, identifying four as the most viable, including the baseball field.
The Park Board has stood against the idea, citing a variety of planned improvements, some of which are set to be funded through a federal Land Water Conservation Grant. Some of that work already has been undertaken, including the installation of a new scoreboard and public address system.
Bowman presented a timeline for the project, also noting he has yet to see any results of a feasibility study, a cost estimate or a decision of where the funding for such a project will be sourced.
"This is, in my opinion, the time to talk about it," he said.
The top shelf proposal from Horne and King would be for a 37,000-square-foot facility. As part of the Park Board's presentation, Bowman offered ideas both on how to reduce its size and scope, and offered a suggestion for another site.
For the city's part, City Manager Mike Adams explained officials have been looking at alternatives, announcing they already have reduced the size of the proposal to 18,165 square feet. That would allow more of the 16 proposed sites to be reconsidered, he said.
"There's going to be more talks and more decisions," Adams said. "As the footprint gets smaller, it opens up the alternatives."
Council also plans to host its own town hall to go over the project with the public, Adams said.
Police Chief Charlie Kush said he would be willing to answer questions from residents, and even show them through the department's existing facilities to show them why such a project has been proposed.
"If the citizens saw the condition of the police department, they'd be stunned," Kush said.
Several citizens also spoke during Thursday's town hall, with all agreeing a new facility is needed, but most standing against the idea of using the baseball field.
Among them was former city mayor Dean Harris, who recalled some of the city's earlier efforts to establish a new police headquarters.
"We all went to D.C. to try and get funding to renovate Cove School," he said of work while he was on city council in 1992.
Harris also, however, raised concern over the possible politicization of the project, saying he has heard it has come up as part of the interview process to fill the Ward 2 council seat.
David Connors, a student at Weirton Madonna High School, said he knows there is a need for a new police department, explaining his father was in law enforcement for many years, but noted the recreational opportunities provided by the baseball field, including Easter egg hunts and youth leagues.
"I believe if we take the field away, there's going to be less," Connors said.
Attorney Michael Nogay pointed to the field's history, and also as a community point of interests which connects generations of families in Weirton.
"There's really nothing left that reminds you of the continuation," he said. "We need a new police department. We don't need it on Cove Field."
Resident Ray Gatjka was the only resident who appeared to speak in favor of using the field for the public safety building, saying while he has his own memories from his time as a player and coach there, Weir High is in the process of planning for the construction of an on-campus field and, he believes, there are other avenues for Weirton Madonna's baseball team.
"These buildings would all be within walking distance of each other," he said of the prospect.
Resident and business owner John Greco, though, encouraged the city to use the project as a way to invest in a brighter downtown, by removing some of the more unsightly properties for use by the department.
"Let's get rid of the blight and build a new police station," Greco said. "Let's kill two birds with one stone."
Mayor Harold Miller also was on hand, saying he is not in favor of using the ballfield for the project, and that discussions will continue. No members of council were in attendance.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)