Baseball Field Design Approved By Village Board

Plans for a redesigned Cahill Park baseball diamond received approval Monday from the Whitefish Bay Village Board.

The plans have been developed by Friends of Bay Baseball, the Whitefish Bay baseball boosters organization, with assistance from village officials. The group has passed out information about the new baseball diamond to neighboring residents, and last week, held an open house at the Cahill Park pavilion.

The Village Board has already to the field renovation, and Friends of Bay Baseball is planning to ask the Whitefish Bay School Board for $150,000 at a School Board meeting on Nov. 14. The organization plans to raise at least $200,000 through fundraising in the community.

Trustees unanimously approved plans for an artificial turf infield and warning track, natural grass outfield, a new scoreboard in right field and permanent concrete seating curved around the backstop area. Two dugouts are also planned along the infield lines.

The 10-foot-by-20-foot scoreboard would stand 6 1/2 feet tall and would light only the numbers and not the entire scoreboard. The scoreboard would be positioned 400 to 450 feet in from the roadway at Chateau Place.

The first base dugout would be constructed large enough to house concession stand materials, and the third base dugout would be constructed to store baseball equipment. Ken Kaszubowski, from Friends of Bay Baseball, said the current equipment shed will be torn down if the organization's storage needs are met by the new facilities.

The dugouts do not meet setback requirements and will require a variance with the Board of Appeals, as well as approval from the village's Architectural Review Commission.

If approved, the construction would begin next year. The Whitefish Bay High School baseball team would have to practice elsewhere during the regular season and would host no home games.