Seguin council plans to improve Little League dugouts
25 Mar 2023
News
Dalondo Moultrie The Seguin Gazette
As young baseball and softball players hit the diamonds on opening day at Seguin Little League, they can do so knowing their fields could soon get some updates.
After about 20 to 30 years of use, the dugouts that safely house the players during the game will get some much-needed upgrades as the Seguin City Council unanimously approved a measure on the first reading to expand all 12 dugouts at the ballpark.
“Our dugouts are probably 20-30 years old; they’re starting to fall apart,” Seguin Little League President Amanda Peterson said. “We’ve tried to keep them updated and looking nice and doing the maintenance, but after so many years, everything just starts to flake apart and deteriorate.”
With about 13 players, coaches and equipment piling into the dugouts, things get cramped, Peterson said. Things can also get dangerous as splintering wood and rusted metal pose hazards for young people and adults in the cramped confines of the dugouts, she said.
City staff members know about the need and planned for a project for next fiscal year, but now have plans to start the project sooner than previously imagined, Seguin Parks and Recreation Director Jack Jones said.
The previous plan was for $60,000 to enlarge the dugouts sometime in the 2023-24 budget year, which begins in October; however, council on Tuesday approved a budget amendment that provides $100,000 for the upgrades to begin this summer, Jones said. Council members OK’d taking money from the city’s park development fund, he said.
The city plans to spend roughly $90,000 and have about $10,000 left over for contingencies, he said.
“We’re excited. I think they’re excited, Little League,” Jones said.
Seguin Little League in the past hosted a state tournament, but about five years ago, the tournament moved to a new little league complex in El Campo, he said. The local organization lost the tournament due to its facilities, namely the small dugouts, Jones said.
Once work is complete, some hope chances are high of Seguin regaining the tournament and possibly others, he said. Tournaments are good for the city’s economy, Jones said.
“These tournaments bring in a lot of sales tax. People stay in hotels,” he said. “When you get people coming in spending money in our community, that money rolls over probably four times. That money goes to pay for staff, pays for bills and other things related. Tourism is big business.”
But the dugouts project is mainly to help the children and parents who participate in Seguin Little League, Jones said.
The planned work on the fields is not possible without the city’s help, Peterson said.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “It means a lot to all these kids. It’s making things a lot better. It’s making everything run a lot smoother and making it more enjoyable for all the kids and the parents.”
Seguin Little League raises funds to operate as self-sufficiently as possible, Peterson said. Fees collected from parents go toward uniforms and other equipment expenses, while fundraisers, like the barbecue plate sale planned for April 1 goes toward improvement projects, Peterson said.
The organization appreciates any outside assistance, like the help the city is pledging, Peterson said.
City Council approved the measure Tuesday on first reading. Staff will bring it for second reading before council April 4 during a regular meeting, Jones said.
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