BEATRICE – A master plan for redesign of Hannibal Park in east Beatrice has been accepted by the City of Beatrice. A consulting study recommends some changes to capitalize on the growing popularity of summer softball and add public improvements.


Major changes could be adding another ball field where the central parking area is currently located, installing new parking just to the west. Two new fields were added in recent years using grant funding. City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer talks about some of the proposed changes involving fields four and five.
"Four and five are very close to one another....the idea is to take field five and push it out a little towards the parking lot that's over there and create some space between them. That would allow you to put a trail up through there to fields six and seven. Also, we would change out the backstops there. If you've ever tried to sit and watch a game on fields four and five, it is a foul-ball nightmare. Those fields are just too close together."


Work on field number one has been completed, and new fence has been installed on Field Number two. New fence is scheduled to be installed next year on field three. A batting and pitching area will be constructed this year.


City Councilman Rick Clabaugh says the improvements will help in bringing more activity to the community.  "During the softball tournaments, it is amazing how many people are out there. There's just people everywhere. I'm glad we're doing this because that''ll keep us in there holding as many tournaments as are held...and then the state tournaments, also."


The planned redesign of the central area of the park would mean more parking spaces will be added.  "As of today, we have 332 parking stalls. When we would be done with all of these changes, we'd be at 432....so we would add one hundred parking stalls to what we have, today," Tempelmeyer said.


A water retention area would be constructed in the southwest corner of the park of just over an acre in size. An old restroom facility near the tennis courts might have to be moved, with a new facility constructed. Plans include a trail that would circle the Hannibal Park complex.