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Lakemen Field gets upgrade

The lights, light poles amd infield at Lakemen Field were installed in the 1970s and are way beyond their intended lifespan. A plan is being developed to replace those items, along with upgrading other parts of the ballpark. James Card Photo

Overdue work needed at ballpark

By James Card

The infrastructure at Lakemen Field has lasted long past its expected lifespan and the Parks and Recreation Department is putting together a master plan to give it an upgrade.

“Lakemen has been a part of our city parks for decades and we’ve had many generations of city residents – and those outside of the city – play baseball in that field. Currently it is used seven months a year, seven days a week; starting from the age of 14 and going up until you can’t play baseball anymore,” said Laura Colbert, the Parks And Recreation director at the Nov. 1 city council meeting.

Ballplayers at Lakemen Field are from the 14U, 15U and 16U Babe Ruth leagues, the American Legion baseball teams, the Waupaca High School varsity team and the Waupaca Lakemen of the Badger Amateur Baseball Association.

The Lakemen were established in the 1940s and are one of the top amateur baseball teams in Wisconsin. They were the 2022 Dairyland Grand Champions upon defeating the Hortonville Stars.

It was the team’s fourth consecutive championship and their fifth in the past six years. Their first grand championship was in 1972.

The light poles were previously used as electrical poles and the wood is splitting with deep cracks. The lights atop the poles have a 25-year lifespan. They were installed in 1976. The lights are not as bright as they used to be and now produce about 25% of lumens needed for safe ball play at night.

The infield sod was placed in 1979 and the infields have a lifespan of 25 years. In 1993, work was done on the infield, bringing in new dirt and rebuilding the mound.

Colbert briefed the council on the plan: in 2024, renovate the light poles and lights, rebuild the infield and upgrade the sound system. Park and Rec has $350,000 earmarked for this work from their 2024 Capital Plan funded by half with general obligation bonds and the other half through donations. The department will develop a master plan with the Rettler Corporation, a landscape architect, civil engineering and construction management firm based in Stevens Point.

Also during this planning period, the city may consider upgrading the concession stand and figuring out better parking options.

The city council unanimously approved a $2,500 payment to the Rettler Corporation for developing the master plan.

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