The City of Fernie is taking steps to prepare for the loss of the Servello ball diamond, that will be displaced by the new Fire Hall when construction on the building begins.
At a meeting on June 24, council was presented with a report from the Parks and Recreation department, about statistics on ball diamond usage, and potential options for replacing Servello Field or enhancing other pre-existing fields in the community. Council did not make any decisions on the matter, and decided to postpone discussion until recreational baseball and softball groups were consulted.
There are a few ball diamond sites in the community. Servello Field and the Hospital Field are located in Prentice Park, and a third is situated in James White Park. The new Fire Hall would displace the former.
A report from the City shows that Prentice Park is the main location for adult baseball, and that both Servello and Hospital Fields are booked multiple evenings per week.
Youth use the James White Park ball diamond more frequently. Fernie Minor Baseball has seen a significant increase in usage, since the group was revived in 2024.
Prentice Park was used frequently from May 1 to July 31, 2023, with 55 out of 92 evenings booked. James White Park was used infrequently at the time, but regular use has picked up with an increase in activity for Fernie Minor Baseball.
The report indicates that if youth participation in baseball continues to grow, it may result in decreased access for adult softball and place strain on scheduling with fewer community spaces available. Particularly as the City's Municipal Facilities and Parks User Regulation and Fees Bylaw currently prioritizes booking for youth.
Council was presented with a few potential options to help increase space for ball groups.
One suggestion, was to enhance the small ball diamond in James White Park to make it suitable for adult games . This would mean extending the outfield by clearing trees, removing and reinstating fences, and installing turf. So far, the estimated cost for this is $200,000.
While this option would improve the diamond, it would not necessarily increase diamond availability for adult ball, as minor ball would remain the priority for this space.
Building a ball diamond in Ridgemont Park was also presented as an option, but it was also noted that due to it's small size, this facility would only be suitable for younger players and would not be able to accommodate full-scale league games.
Undertaking a study to explore the possibility of developing a ball field or sports field complex at the former landfill site, was mentioned. In 2013, the City of Fernie Leisure Services Master Plan recommended a four-diamond field be constructed at this site, so the project would build on this former research. This option would allow Fernie Slow Pitch to host tournaments and could serve as replacements for diamonds at Prentice and James White Park. The current cost estimate for a preliminary study is $25,000.
Constructing a new adult diamond at another to-be-determined location was listed as an option, but with challenges, due to a high preliminary cost estimate of $500,000 to $600,000, and potential land not being part of the City's strategic plan.
Facility improvements to the Hospital Field in Prentice Park and the diamond at James White Park were also discussed, like improving fencing; adding good-quality shale and annual top-dressing to the diamonds; sourcing good infield prep equipment and a batting mat; and making basic field preparation equipment available like bases, chalk liners and drags, so that ball groups can take on some of the responsibilities of maintenance.
It was noted that adding a batter's box would help free up ball diamond time for other activities.
Adding lighting would cost approximately $200,000, and would be challenging to install in areas with limited power availability.
The City will bring this topic back for further discussion in July.
