Groundbreaking set for new sports center

After years of behind-the-scenes work by Carson City's Little League and countless hours of donated time, the Carson City Youth Sports Facility is ready to be built at Governor's Field, said Don Smit, project manager.

The 6,000-square-foot building will be primarily for the use of Little League, but through an operating agreement between Carson City Little League and the Carson City Parks and Recreation Department, it will be made available for other uses, Smit said.

"The thing we'd like to emphasize is that no child will ever be charged to use the facility," he said. "This will be a great practice facility for a number of activities."

The project has been in the works for a number of years, but heavier emphasis has been placed on getting it done it in the past year, Smit said.

The 100-by-60-foot building will accommodate batting cages, but the temporary netting can be raised for multi-use, he said.

The cost of the facility will be $240,000.

"The Tim Terry Law Firm was instrumental in obtaining the bulk of the funds. This never would have gotten off the ground without him," Smit said. "But a lot of credit also has to be given to the people of the design team who donated their time or worked at less than 50 percent rates, and the general contractor is not charging overhead or profit."

Donations - including a $4,500 glass double entry door from Capital Glass - have exceeded $100,000, he said.

The project normally should have cost about $340,000, Smit said.

"It's just so incredible for people to give so much in these economic times," he said. "The supervisors and the parks and recreation departments have gone so far beyond the call of duty letting us build it there, and (Supervisor) Pete Livermore has worked behind the scenes since the beginning, but also the planning department, building department and fire department. If any one of those spokes had failed to participate, it wouldn't have happened."

The contractor is SMC Construction. The design team is made up of Aloiau Architecture, Manhard Consulting, Wayne Reid Structural Engineering, Construction Design Services and Aspen Engineering.

About 500 youth participate in Little League each year, Smit said. The building should be ready for occupancy and the keys turned over to Carson City in 90 days.

"It's going to be getting cold," he said. "We've got to get kids in there."