With only one field dedicated to softball and two others for farm and major fields, excluding the T-ball backstop, Manuel Vierra Park struggles to sustain Gridley Little League teams alone. Designed by Freepik

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - A worsening problem for Gridley as the population base grows is the availability of recreational space for its youth, especially youth sports.

In past years, parks and recreation directors have approached the City Council, addressing the difficulty of finding more practice spaces for teams during soccer season. As Gridley Little League begins practice, those challenges continue.

With only one field dedicated to softball and two others for farm and major fields, excluding the T-ball backstop, Manuel Vierra Park struggles to sustain Gridley Little League teams alone.

Coaches and teams find creative alternatives, such as Christian Life Church on Humble Avenue, which has been gracious enough to let them use its space.

To remedy that, locals have looked to other spaces.

Gridley High School sits on the property line of the Butte County Fairgrounds. Fairgrounds CEO Matt Reed recently said that Amanda Schohr and Brett Rogers are spearheading a project that could potentially create a new practice space for softball players.

“Gridley Little League is utilizing what we call the livestock parking lot or rugby lot,” said Reed.

“At some point, probably in the early ’90s, it was used as some sort of baseball diamond,” Reed said.

Reed said that Schohr and Rogers applied for a grant through the Aaron Rogers Foundation on Monday, March 2, using the Butte County Fairgrounds 501(c)(3) nonprofit since the location is on fairgrounds property.

“There is a really good opportunity for them to receive those fundings and be able to improve that,” said Reed in regard to the potential new play space.

Reed shared that the fairgrounds have applied for a security and safety grant through Cal OES for state and federal funding and plan to install $150,000 worth of lighting projects throughout the fairgrounds.

Reed said the lighting will be installed throughout all areas of the fairgrounds, including at the hoped-for baseball diamond.

The addition of a well-lit playing field would be a boon for local athletes.