Summerside, P.E.I., likely scaling back ball field renos

Plans for some major upgrades to the Very Important Volunteer field at Queen Elizabeth Park in Summerside will likely have to be scaled back after tenders came in higher than expected.

"The lighting component of the tender came in substantially higher, about $130,000 higher than our engineers had estimated," said J.P. Desrosiers, Summerside's director of community services.

"So we are in a process right now of re-jigging the project to meet our budgetary constraints."

Vote May 16

Desrosiers said the ball field hasn't had any changes in a number of years and it's time for some improvements.

The city hopes to eventually tap into some federal money to complete all the upgrades, but in the meantime, council is slated to vote May 16 on a recommendation to go back to the lowest bidder and ask for an estimate on scaled back renovations.

The ball field will still meet the needs of two national tournaments being held at the Queen Elizabeth Park this year.

"We will be extending the outfield, redoing the infield, creating all new fencing in the outfield which will also include actually a 20-foot-high by 40-foot-long what we are going to tag Summerside's version of the Green Monster in the right outfield," he said.

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