The Princeton Ball Association held a ground-breaking ceremony on Monday morning, marking the start of construction for a new softball and baseball complex on the west side of town. Those in attendance included City Council member Tony Johnson, Mayor Kurt Meighen, Kathy Thompson, Rick Ellsworth, President of the Princeton R-V School Board, Superintendent and PBA Committee member Jerry Girdner, Dirk Schwartzkopf of GRM Networks, Blake Boxley, Karee Cunningham, Carrie Goodin and other employees of Smithfield; PBA team sponsors, players representing PBA teams from this season, players from the Lady Tiger softball team, and players of the first-ever Princeton Tiger High School Baseball Team, as well as numerous other supporters from the community.
Located just to the northeast of Princeton’s current softball facility, the new site will be on higher ground, up from the floodplain of the Thompson River, with the new facility on 13 acres at the junction of Highway 136 and Route FF. According to PBA President Nathan Evans, the project was made possible by a land transaction between the City of Princeton and the Kauffman family, with the PBA entering into a 30-year renewable lease with the City for the purpose of constructing new baseball and softball fields on the property.
With the project officially underway, “Phase One” will consist of dirt excavation work to be performed by Finney Excavation. Once completed the new ball fields will be at or above 835 feet of elevation, which is above the 500-year flood plain. Being out of the 500-year flood plain will allow insurance to be secured to protect the PBA for improvements constructed at the new location.
Photo credit – Princeton Ball Association / Princeton, MO
