Some questions posed by Galesburg School Board members on proposed changes to the Galesburg High School Athletic Complex are being answered with yet more changes.
Buildings and Grounds Committee head Rodney Phelps told the board Monday night plans to eliminate the Sophomore Baseball field won’t happen after all.
“We had a lot of conversation on the ball fields. Do we really want to get rid of an existing ball field?” said Phelps. “When we stepped back and when we looked at things at another angle and another lens, it probably makes sense to not get rid of existing ball fields. ”
The sophomore baseball diamond was to be replaced with more parking, but Phelps says some of that will still be added, just farther away, and for the players, who he says should have no problem walking a bit farther.
Among other changes to initial plans involve looking into more artificial turf.
“When (this plan) goes out to bid, if we approve that, there will be an alternate bid on the baseball (Sundberg) field for turf, and turf on the varsity softball field,” said Phelps. “We also will leave the existing…what I call the JV softball field.”
The Galesburg School Board last month voted to formally engage the district’s architect on plans which also include tearing down Rose Hoben Welch School and putting up a new district warehouse space on the site, replacing the Hawthorne Center facility currently in use. Gale School is also expected to be torn down, and a walkway between Wicall Gym and a new facility also are planned.