KING — The City Council approved a request from the King Little League and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department to convert a multi-use field at Recreation Acres – the “old football field” – to a second t-ball field to meet growing demand.
Little League officials told Council Members that this year they have nine t-ball teams with 96 young participants, and had to turn away at least 30 additional players because of limited space on which to schedule games.
The league has continued to see steady growth among its younger age levels. A second field, they said, could potentially allow the t-ball program to double in size.
“They’ve had an influx of t-ball players,” said City Manager Homer Dearmin, “which is great.”
The Little League and the City will split the $16,000 cost of converting the field. Because the work would be done in the summer, and completed in the new fiscal year, Dearmin said, it could funded in the too-be-completed 2022-2023 budget. No lights would be needed.
In a response to a question, Dearmin said the new field could also be used for baseball and softball, which was one of the requirements voiced by the Parks and Rec Advisory Board.
In other business, the Council:
*Approved five proclamations, for National Police Week, National Poppy Day, Municipal Clerks Week, Older Americans Month and Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month.
*Accepted a proposal from American Legion Post 290 to fly these flags around the Veterans’ Memorial Fountain at Central Park: World War I and World War II, Purple Heart, “Some Gave All,” North Carolina National Guard and U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Other flags could be rotated in at some point in the future. The Council had previously voted to place the flags of the six armed services on new poles as one enters the memorial fountain area, in a place of greater prominence. (Legion officials on hand said they would hold their annual Memorial Day event at the Fountain on Sunday, May 29, at 5 p.m.)
*Tabled discussion of livestreaming options after learning that the City Finance Department had received two responses to its RFP.
*Voted to approve a change in the city’s ordinance related to public notice for Planning and Zoning meetings, extending the period to 20 days, as had been requested by the Council.
*Received a word of thanks from Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cathy Loveday following Saturday’s Meet Me on Main event, one that Loveday called their best attended. There were 113 vendors, including seven food and ice cream vendors, she said. And the inaugural downtown road race to end the even drew 20 runners.
*Learned that the new disc golf course at Rec Acres is being installed this week.