The idea of turf on the infield at Plum Creek Park has been bouncing around Brock Anderson’s head for a long time.
Anderson, the head baseball coach for Seward High, put a committee together in October to do more than talk about the proposal. The group meets monthly for updates and next steps, he said. Members come from all different walks of life and age ranges. An eight-member advisory board includes people who have gone through projects like this before.
The Plum Creek Sports and Turf Campaign is partnering with the Seward Youth and Community Club, a 501(c)3 organization. The goal is to raise $1 million and break ground on the multiphase project in July of 2025, Anderson said.
The first field to get turf will be the Legion Memorial Field where Seward and Concordia both play baseball in the spring. Legion teams use the field throughout the summer, as well.
A full turf infield and bullpens will be that phase. A portable mound will be installed so younger players can use the field, as well. The mound can be removed to use the field for softball, and a portable fence will be added for softball and youth baseball.
Field 4 at the four-plex across the road would be the next field to be done. The other three fields would remain dirt for now, Anderson said.
While the infield will switch from dirt to turf, the outfield will remain natural grass, he said.
Installing turf will help with wear and tear on the fields. Infielders won’t have to worry about bad hops on bouncing balls, and the field won’t need to be worked between games. The lines will already be there, and there won’t be dirt to wet down and smooth out. It also allows the field to be used all day instead of being closed after it’s set up for a game.
As an added bonus, Anderson said, umpires he’s talked to love working on tuft. It’s easier on their bodies and has a little more give than a dirt infield.
Teams won’t have to wait for the field to dry after a rain, either, he said.
“The drainage is unbelievable,” he said.
He said baseball players who use the field are excited about the upgrades. While the juniors and seniors this year won’t be able to play on the turf, it becomes a legacy project for them, Anderson said.
The turf won’t impact the July 4 fireworks show, he said.
In addition to taking donations, the committee will sell memorial bricks to be installed at the Legion field. A veterans memorial is also planned, Anderson said.
“We started with the VFW and the Legion, and they have been gracious and support the project,” he said.
Seward City Parks and Recreation also supports the project, as does the city council. The Seward school board voted April 8 to support the project, Anderson said.
Anderson said the committee is also looking for grants to supplement the donations.
The committee already has information from six different turf companies. All will be interviewed, and the committee and city will decide who receives the project.
About 1/3 of the funds have been raised so far. A givebutter.com account for Plum Creek Turf has been set up for donations.
For more information, contact Anderson at (402) 499-3756 or email him at anderson152@yahoo.com.
