MYSA Continues To Seek Softball Field Upgrades

MOORESTOWN, NJ - After about a decade of discussion, promised upgrades to the softball fields at Wesley Bishop Park may finally be on their way to becoming reality.

In 2008, the Moorestown Recreation Advisory Committee put together a report detailing the needs at the various youth athletic facilities across the township.

In 2014, Moorestown Council set aside $150,000 for engineer and design services for upgrades for those facilities, including the fields used by the Moorestown Youth Softball Association (MYSA).

Five years later, just about everything is complete, but the softball fields are still in need of attention. The fields are in a low-lying area near wetlands, and rain can be a huge nightmare at a time of year when it never seems to let up.

“After it rains, it usually takes a day or two to completely dry out,” MYSA Board Member Bob Reilley said. “Two years ago, we had to cancel 11 games due to field conditions on days when other teams in the area were able to play. Last year, we had to cancel seven games on days when other teams were playing.”

In fact, when putting together the team’s travel schedule for this season, AJ Mieskolainsen said he scheduled three home games and nine away games because he had to be practical about possible weather conditions.

MYSA officials have also said Moorestown’s fields aren’t on the same level as some of the other towns in their league, which include Cinnaminson, Delran and Marlton, among others. It would to have covered dugouts and more fencing among its upgrades.

MYSA is also looking to have another field built. It would like to host tournaments, which generate money for both the association and the township.

There are currently two softball fields at Wesley Bishop Park, and a minimum of three fields are needed to host a tournament. MYSA officials estimate that teams pay $300 to enter tournaments, with an average of 40-50 teams entering.

After covering the costs to stage the tournament, about half of what they bring in could be revenue, officials during a Recreational Advisory Committee meeting Tuesday night.

MYSA would be willing to pick up the costs for some of the upgrades, much like other sports clubs in town have. The costs for scoreboards and lighting would fall on the club to pay for, according to Director of Parks and Recreation Theresa McGettigan-Miller.

In July, Moorestown Council approved engineer and design plans for the fields that were presented by Taylor Design Group. In November, two new members were elected to Moorestown Council and the balance of political power shifted from Republicans to Democrats. In January, Bach Associates was appointed to replace Taylor Design as the Township Landscape Architect/Park Design Consultant.

Reilley became concerned the softball upgrades would be put off again, and approached council at its Feb. 25 meeting. Council told him the project would go back to the Recreation Advisory Committee, prompting Reilly and other MYSA representatives to attend that meeting on Tuesday night.

McGettigan-Miller clarified that what was approved in July was just for design and engineering and not construction. She said MYSA should finalize what it is looking for at its next board meeting and get back to the Recreation Advisory Committee by its next meeting, on April 2.

After that, it looks like the township would be able to take the next step to making the proposed upgrades a reality for the township’s softball players.