Baseball diamond renovations and upgrades are coming at Rotary Republic Park; and a local tournament organizer says it could mean big things for Portage la Prairie.

Portage Regional Recreation Authority general manager David Sattler recently shared plans to complete more than $58,500 in upgrades for baseball diamonds at Republic Park. The improvements will see two baseball diamonds have a number of aesthetic fixes completed and a synthetic compound called 'Turface' mixed into the infield of one baseball diamond to help combat wet conditions.

“It has water-absorbing capabilities,” explains PRRA general manager David Sattler, noting extensive research went into selecting how to best manage moisture including consultation with the Winnipeg Goldeyes' grounds-crew. “It pulls moisture out of the rest of the soil so it lets everything firm up quite a bit quicker after rains. All the research we did this past winter and into spring, shows this is exactly what we need.”

The planned work, includes: infield improvements on diamond 8 ($20,000), new double lane batting cage ($18,500), closed-in dugouts diamonds 7 and 8 ($6,000), fence repairs diamonds 7 and 8 ($4,500), pitching mound repair diamond 8 ($4,000), foul pole installation diamonds 7, 8 and 9 ($2,000) and bullpen improvements diamonds 7 and 8 ($1,500).

A new double-lane batting cage will be installed at Republic Park to replace this aging structure.

According to a PRRA report, funding for the upgrades will be split among various sources. The city of Portage la Prairie will cover $15,000, a Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Grant supplies $14,000, Portage Rotary Club — through its 20-year naming contributions — is providing $10,000, the PRRA is on the hook for $10,000 and a $9,500 donation came in specifically for the new double-lane batting cage.

Shane Moffatt, a local citizen who approached city council in December 2016 requesting $40,000 from the city's accommodation tax to fund work at Republic Park to help bring a junior baseball team and Baseball Manitoba events to Portage, says once complete, the upgrades at Republic Park should allow Portage la Prairie to compete to attract regional and provincial baseball events.

“I think the improvements are very good. This is a really good start. The only situation I think we're going to run into, only one diamond is getting done this year,” Moffatt says. “You need two diamonds. As of now, you're two years out from going after anything really significant. If we could get (a second diamond) done this year I think it would be a big help in going after some major tournaments.”

“We haven't had a tournament here in over 40 years,” continues Moffatt. “Once we get these improvements done I think it's going to be big for the city. You can hold big events and when you have big events there's people in the community spending money, and that's the ultimate outcome of this.”

Sattler says the upgrades on one diamond should be complete this August; while the second diamond being worked on won't have its infield re-done with Turface likely until next year.

Diamond 7 at Republic Park is also getting a number of improvements including closed-in dugouts and fence work this year, but the major work on the infield to mix-in a synthetic moisture reducing compound called Turface won't happen until next year.

MANITOBA JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE PROSPECTS

Moffatt recently spoke with Manitoba Junior Baseball League (MJBL) president Jamie Bettens and says he's “99.9 per cent sure” Portage will be accepted into the league, as long as the Republic Park upgrades are completed.

“I also think I have a corporate sponsor for jerseys and hats already lined up,” explains Moffatt. “I'm hoping these improvements get done so I can pull the trigger and get an executive together. There's still lots of work to be done.”

The MJBL is an eight-team league with teams from St. James, Elmwood, Brandon, Carillon, Altona, Interlake, Pembina Valley and St. Boniface.

See related story:

"Junior Baseball Team Could Come to Portage"