MWL1 Cedar Rapids Kernels

Jones Park Baseball Groundbreaking set for August 28

Published on August 21, 2009 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Cedar Rapids Kernels News Release


August 20, 2009 - The public is invited to attend a ground breaking ceremony for the Jones Park Baseball Project on Friday, August 28, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. at the Jones Park Baseball Diamond (Jones Park Lagoon Pavilion in case of rain). The Jones Baseball Project will provide a new youth baseball league diamond, reconfigure an existing full high school size diamond to a youth baseball league diamond, and improve an existing little league diamond in Jones Park. The project will include irrigation, fencing, sidewalks and bleachers. These diamonds will replace ball fields that were damaged due to June 2008 flooding at Hayes Park and provide a higher quality location for league games previously played at flood affected Time Check and Riverside Parks. The entire cost of the project is $170,000. With the exception of a $25,000 in-kind contribution by the City of Cedar Rapids, the remainder of the project is funded by grants and donations.

The Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $75,000 from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF). The grant supports the Jones Park Baseball Project and provides funding for materials and services to complete the construction and improvements at Jones Park.

The Cedar Rapids Kernels, Minor League Baseball Charities, P.L.A.Y. in Linn County, Positive Sports, Perfect Game, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, Cedar Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department all cooperated in developing this project. Perfect Game is working with several low income schools to provide free baseball programs targeted to 8 to 10 year olds who will play games on the diamonds. Perfect Game will provide instructors and equipment. "We want to develop a love of baseball in all kids. We can provide instruction, equipment and encouragement for kids, and this project gives them a great place to play games," said Jerry Ford, President of Perfect Game. The Parks & Recreation Department and Positive Sports will also provide programs on the diamonds.

"This is a wonderful opportunity, not only for our program, but for the children who play the game," said Julie Sina, Parks and Recreation Department Director. "This project will result in desperately needed baseball facilities to replace those lost due to the June 2008 flooding. We are appreciative of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund which will make this project a reality. We are also proud to be a partner with others in the baseball community that was instrumental in the development and support of this project." "The Baseball Tomorrow Fund appreciates the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department's commitment to youth baseball and softball in its community. We are pleased to support the continued growth of this program," added Cathy Bradley, Executive Director or the Baseball Tomorrow Fund.

Other major project contributors include Aegon Transamerica Foundation, Kernels Foundation, Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation Flood Fund, Hall-Perrine Foundation, King's Material Inc., Minor League Baseball Charities, Perfect Game, Bill Quinby, and Rockwell Collins Flood Recovery Fund. The Parks and Recreation Department is still accepting in-kind and monetary contributions. Those interested in donating to the project may contact Gail Loskill at 319-286-5742. Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2009, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund is designed to promote the growth of youth baseball and softball throughout the world by awarding grants to support field renovation and construction projects, equipment and uniform purchases, coaches' training material and other selected program expenses. Since its formation by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association in 1999, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund has awarded over 400 grants totaling almost $16 million to non-profit and tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Approximately 180,000 youth players have benefited from programs and facilities supported by the fund. The Baseball Tomorrow Fund receives approximately 500 applications each year and awards grants on a quarterly basis after a selective review process. For more information, visit www.baseballtomorrowfund.com. The Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department provides leisure opportunities for individuals of all ages and ability levels in the Cedar Rapids area. Opportunities are provided through recreational programming and maintaining and managing park and recreational facilities for public use. Last year over 1,500 activities and programs coordinated by the Department resulted in over 300,000 independent recreational experiences. The Parks & Recreation Department has provided baseball programs for 52 years. The Department is committed to providing children with the fundamentals of sports that they can use throughout their lifetime as a participant or a spectator. For more information, visit www.crrec.org.

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