Nearly a year after it was first proposed, a controversial second softball field at Rhinelander's Pioneer Park has been rejected by the city council.
Hodag girls softball head coach D.J. DeMeyer had proposed the second field at the park, also the home of the Hodag Farmers Market and the Oneida County Fair, both who opposed the second field...
"....I'm looking to build the program and to build the program I need to have two fields for the varsity, JV and youth program...."
Right now, the teams go to different fields to practice. They also proposed paying for the new field.
But the opposition to the second field was strong at the packed council chambers. Oneida County Fair Coordinator Nancy Gehrig said the extra field would cause location problems for fair activities...
"..this has been the perfect spot for the fair to be housed because we have no other land, no other area...."
Steve Richardson of Hodag Farmers Market said the new field wouldn't work for them either...
".....it's not only that it would impinge upon the space we're already utilizing, upon further reflection. our position at the park would be untenable...."
Council members also said a majority of feedback they had received opposed the second field, which would have required the removal of some of the park's trees. Council member Dawn Rog said the school district should look at it's own property first for a ball field. The vote to approve the new field was rejected on a 6-2 vote.
