The old baseball fields at Heather Park have a date with the wrecking ball.
Crews will start dismantling and decommissioning the long-abandoned diamonds this week, city hall said Wednesday.
They've been "little used for the past seven years and are now in a state of disrepair," according to a press release. "In particular, the buildings and fencing have become a potential hazard to those who enjoy the area for activities such as walking and dog walking."
The intention is to completely remove all the fencing, stands and other structures by the end of the summer.
Once used by the Prince George Youth Baseball Association, in 2012 the organization asked the city to remove the PGYBA's exclusive use agreement for the fields because of a drop in enrollment. By spring 2013, PGYBA removed their assets from the site.
But there's been a renewed interest in the game and with it, a need for more fields.
Over three seasons, youth baseball has seen registrations rise from 372 to 515, PGYBA president Brenda Astorino said Wednesday. She also believes that number will continue to grow.
"Baseball is very prevalent again, you see it everywhere," Astorino said.
She said the PGYBA has talked to city staff about finding more space in the Bowl area.
"The city did say they're doing a review of all the fields and all the usages," Astorino said. "We're hoping something will come up and they'll say this field isn't being utilized as much as it should and give it it to Prince George youth baseball."
The Hart is out of the question, Astorino said, because it takes longer to get those fields ready for play due to the extra time it takes for the snow to melt.
There remains the question of what to do with the site at Heather Park once it's been leveled. It will remain zoned as parkland and the city is welcoming suggestions as part of gathering input from the public on its park strategy.
Meetings are scheduled for tonight at the Blackburn Community Hall, 6-8 p.m., Thursday night at Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick Bravery Park and on Tuesday at Ginter's Meadow, 1-7 p.m.
The city will also continue to welcome input through its website, www.princegeorge.ca, until June 3.
