Muskego ballfield is no longer a distant dream

Muskego - A baseball diamond funded almost entirely from donations could be in play next spring, with construction possibly completed this fall.

The Muskego Warriors youth baseball league has just about conquered its goal of obtaining $75,000 for the diamond planned for Park Arthur, W17833 College Ave. At least, the fundraising is close enough for city officials to make the call.

"The timeline would be (that) by the end of September or early October it will be done," Craig Anderson, Muskego director of parks and recreation, said last week.

Anderson said the city has already graded the area and the grass in the outfield is done. The expenses for the Warriors includes creating the infield, fencing in the diamond and providing bleachers, he added.

The Warriors still have a few more innings to go before they reach their goal, said James Prusinski, Muskego Warriors president. So far, the league has raised $61,000 - enough to build confidence.

"We're very, very pleased that it looks like it's moving forward," Prusinski said.

Funding has come from donations, fundraising and corporate sponsors. So far, the group has not needed to ask the city to use the incentive of naming rights, but he said that is still a possibility.

Normally, park facilities are paid for with landfill fees and development money. But it could take five to 10 years for the city to have enough to pay for a diamond, he said.

Meanwhile, the young ball players are already taller and stronger and need a bigger diamond to play on, Prusinski said, noting that the only regulation-size diamond in the city is at Horn Park, and all the baseball groups play on it.

The goal is for batters to step up to the plate on the new field next season. All the youth baseball groups would be able to play on the diamond, but the Warriors would have first rights, Prusinski said.