Banning's Lions Park To Light Up For Youth, Adult Baseballers

BANNING, CA — Banning's Lions Park will see its three baseball diamonds shine brighter for local Little Leaguers, travel teams and adult softballers following approval Tuesday night by City Council of a nearly $1 million contract to fix the dimly lit fields.

Council members voted unanimously to approve the Lions Park Lighting Replacement Project at a cost not to exceed $932,966.30. The city has a $196,926 state grant for the project, and the remaining balance will be financed over a seven-year period with the balance-due split between the city's Electric Utility’s Public Benefit Fund and the General Fund.

Banning Parks and Recreation Director Ralph Wright told council members the interest rate on the loan would likely be in the neighborhood of 2.9 percent.

The construction contract was awarded to Texas-based Techline Sports Lighting LLC.

The current lighting system at Lions Park is over 40 years old, and a retrofit was not a feasible option, according to Wright.

Due to poor lighting from the aged fixtures, the fields have not been regularly used for night baseball, which has curtailed the number of games Banning Pass Little League can play.

As of Tuesday night, 300 kids were signed up to play in the league's 2022 spring season, according to Robert Sibole, who leads the organization. He told council members additional kids will be able to play once proper lighting is installed.

Banning Pass Little League has been "playing in unsafe conditions for a while," Sibole said.

The Lions Park lighting project will include the installation of 14 70-foot-tall steel poles with 118 LED fixtures "providing state-of-the-art lighting that meets the youth baseball and adult softball lighting standards," according to a city staff report.

The system will feature manual and remote access and a 10-year warranty on all labor and parts. The installation is expected to be completed within three months, according to city documents.

Lions Park is located at 955 S. Hargrave Street. It features three baseball diamonds, snack bar facilities, and a children's playground.