IDA GROVE, Iowa | Nearly a quarter-century after the idea was initially discussed, Ida Grove residents, young people and boosters will gather this spring to realize the opening of the Ida Grove Sports Complex.
The $1.1 million effort has taken shape on 8 acres of land donated by Byron Originals. The land is just north of the parking lot at OA-BCIG High School.
The parking lot, in fact, helped leaders focus on this parcel.
"One advantage of this site is that it's convenient, we don't need to build a parking lot," said Dennis Clausen, president of the Ida Grove Kiwanis Foundation, the nonprofit entity that has provided leadership and sweat equity for the complex, which consists of three ball diamonds, a concession stand, lights and more.
Beyond the existing parking lot, the fields will stand on ground adjacent to the school, giving locals a common site at which they can hold practice or watch baseball and softball. The OA-BCIG High School football field and baseball field are on the south side of the parking lot. Those fields are also getting new lights this spring in a separate project.
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"These fields are also right next to the walking trail," Clausen said.
Discussion centering on improving youth baseball/softball fields in Ida Grove dates back 24 years. After an initial plan, however, the talks were tabled. They resurfaced two years ago and the Kiwanis pushed the sports complex ahead.
Two of the three irrigated fields, one measuring 260 feet from home plate to the outfield fence and one measuring 210 feet, will have lights. The other field, which measures 240 feet, will not have lights. The illumination comes from the world-renowned Musco Lighting in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Shakopee Agri-Lime will be used as the dirt surface on the infields and warning tracks. Sod was put in place last fall and left in place beneath a blanket of snow for much of this winter.
"The lights were just hung, the concession stand footings are in and our contractor will be up here," Nielsen said.
A three-lane batting cage complements the fields, as does an auxiliary field that can hold soccer or youth football practice.
The site helps replace a field that was once used near the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Ida Grove, a field that has since been replaced by a parking lot expansion. Another field used for years in Ida Grove was near the elementary school. That field had no fence.
Majors and Minors games in youth softball and baseball, teams which play in the Northwest Iowa League, will have their games in Ida Grove this summer, according to Nielsen. For years those teams have played home games exclusively in nearby Battle Creek, Iowa, the community which will still be home to the OA-BCIG High School Falcons softball program.
