Children in the Bald Eagle area won’t go without baseball this summer despite not being able to use fields which have been their home for several years on Route 220 in Snyder Township.
The fields are located near the new Olivia Village nursing home and were closed after the Bald Eagle Baseball Association decided it was too cost prohibitive to restore wetlands in the area.
“We started construction on the fields during the mid 1990s and then were informed the land was part of a wetlands area,” said Rose Black.
Black has been involved with the association for about two decades and has been dealing with the wetlands issue for several years including trying to find a way to save the fields.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cited the association and the original contractor for violations involving the Clean Water Act in 2001.
“At that point we were approached by PENNDOT which wanted to acquire the land regarding the I-99 project,” said Black.
Last year, the association was instructed to restore the wetlands but it was unable to do so by the drop-dead date of May 1.
“We would have had to reconstruct the wetlands at a two to one ratio and at a cost of one to three million dollars,” said Black.
The association decided this was just too cost prohibitive and instead decided to sell the land to PENNDOT. Bald Eagle Baseball Association was then given time by PENNDOT to find or build alternative fields. Practices and games were held as usual last year on the now closed fields.
The association has been unable to find or build suitable fields within Snyder Township in time for this year’s fast approaching season. Longtime coach Tim Reese indicated practices are getting underway shortly and another solution which will allow the children to play has been found.
“Some of the kids will play in the new Tyrone Baseball Association,” Reese told The Daily Herald. “Some of the others will be on teams in the Tri-County Little League.”
The league includes teams in Warriors Mark, Port Matilda, Halfmoon and Huston townships. About 40 Children from Snyder Township and Taylor Townships made up the teams which participated at various levels in the Ball Eagle Baseball Association.
Black made it clear the association still exists and she echoed the efforts of the past while she explained officials continue to explore possibilities of creating new fields so the children can participate closer to home.
“When we started the project in the 1990s it was to include not only baseball fields but it was to have concession stands, bleachers along with soccer fields and basketball courts,” said Black. “When we got word about the environmental issues all the other construction came to a halt and we just had the ball fields.”
Early last year, the association explored the possibility of entering into a lease with Ron Boyles Jr. of Snyder Township. The site is located on Route 220 near California Hollow Road.
“We were happy with the land but we didn’t want just a 20-year lease which is what Mr. Boyles offered,” said Black. “We are more interested in something we can own outright. However, we are still working with Mr. Boyles regarding the issue.”
The association is also hoping to work with Snyder Township Parks and Recreation to build a complex which would be maintained by the township.
Black also mentioned one other option which involves using land at Camp Anderson in Van Scoyac Hollow.
None of the options will be ready in time for the upcoming season, but the children who wanted to continue to participate have found other teams for this year according to Reese.
