(Facebook/Humboldt Ball Development Board)

By Mat Barrett

Field of Dreams

Humboldt Ball Development Board unveils plans for new multi-use facility

Feb 4, 2021 | 4:59 PM

The Humboldt Ball Development Board (HBDB) has unveiled plans for what a new multi-use facility could look like in Humboldt.

The group posted on Facebook the design plans for the facility that is set to include a new concession, new bathrooms, a multi-use portion for things like practices and other events. It will also have a heated change room, as well as a number of storage portions.

The HBDB was created about two years ago as groups in Humboldt including baseball, softball, and slo-pitch came together to work together for ball in the area. The group got priority project lists from each user group and were able to prioritize those to figure out which projects needed to be done first. President Trent Ries said the groups are all vying for time at all the same facilities. The one project that was discovered all groups wanted was a new concession of sorts as well as new bathrooms.

Ries said it began with that and then continue to snowball as the City of Humboldt has plans to develop that area more with outdoor rinks, and more. That led the project to grow with a possible garage or storage piece for some city vehicles like a zamboni.

“It’s almost like the ‘Field of Dreams’ type of scenario,” Ries told northeastNOW. “Where if you built it, it’ll come and finally everything is starting to fall into place.

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A rough floorplan for the HBDB’s facility. (Facebook/Humboldt Ball Development Board)

He added the options and ideas are really endless with this kind of project. Ries said they’ll worry about getting the project going, and a building built before looking further, but the HBDB is open to more ideas for what the project could entail.

Ries added the group has been intact for about two years and due to COVID-19, plans for this project were turned a bit sideways.

Now that plans are here, it’s time to start thinking about pouring the foundation, and getting a shell up for the building. Ries said fundraising has begun with things such as sponsoring the local diamonds, and other donations.

The expected cost of the project, along with some of the City of Humboldt projects is going to total around $1 million to $1.5 million. However, Ries said they are looking for help from the city, and possibly a larger donor who could take naming rights of the facility when it is ready.

The HBDB is hoping this might add some excitement for residents.

“Something like this can pull the whole community together and get behind something,” Ries said. “And kind of lift everybody’s spirits and get everybody out of the doldrum, and maybe 2021 will be a lot better than 2020.”

The timeline for the project is very fluid, according to Ries. They hope to have the foundation and shell done this season, and the rest is dependant on fundraising.

The new facility is set to be stationed between the skate park and diamond four.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6