The City of Humboldt continues its work with the Humboldt Ball Development Board toward the realization of a building in Centennial Park to act as a concession and storage facility for the adjacent ball diamonds. The City took another step at its Monday meeting by passing a recommendation to approve the project for the issuance of official tax receipts. Anyone donating to the cause would be able to receive a tax receipt for file as a charitable donation. 

The recommendation report filed by Community and Leisure Services noted that the project has been on the books since 2020, tied in with the development of an outdoor rink. It cited the need for a service building to accommodate storage for the ice resurfacer and a space for users of the outdoor rink to have a place to warm-up and bathroom facilities to access.

The Ball Development Board had been working on an ambitious design that would accommodate batting cages and a meeting space in addition to the other amenities. That project was deemed too expensive to carry off, so the Development Board and the City went back to the drawing board to come up with a plan that would meet both their needs. 

At the meeting, Leisure Services Director Mike Ulriksen said that the design phase was complete and that the plans met both groups' needs. The project is now being assessed for code with an eye to having construction beginning this year.

“We do know that there are groups, businesses and individuals that want to contribute toward the construction of this project,” Ulriksen said. “As with other projects that are on the go in the city, we wanted to make sure that this was an approved project for official donation receipts in the hopes that we can generate a bit more revenue to support construction of the building.”

City passed the recommendation. Those wishing to donate to the project can get in touch with the Community and Leisure Services Department. A full diagram of the proposed building is viewable in the Council Meeting Agenda at humboldt.ca.