Now thats' starting to look more like a Baseball field!

Jack Graham, a local volunteer and contributor to this project, installs some last minute irrigation trenches for us. Thank you Jack!

FIELDS ARE COMING AROUND!! (FINALLY)

The fields in Kuna are finally starting to take shape. All of this after much work and effort on the part of the city and volunteers from the KBPRC .

After a lot of effort was put in thru the summer and into the fall on the fields and sprinkler systems, the final grade was approached by the City of Kuna Parks Department along with some irrigation work that was also performed by the the City work force. The KBPRC's hats are off to the City of Kuna for their help and the contribution they made to the fields.

The KBPRC has been working tirelessly on this facility, and really needed the shot in the arm provided by the City. After the KBPRC installed the irrigation system and Dustin Ferdinand began the grading, the City workers provided some valves for the sprinklers and completed the grading in the park between the two fields. What a huge help that was! Thank you Bobby Withrow and his crew from the City Parks Dept.

The KBPRC was able to obtain the sod thanks to Cloverdale Nursery... and just like that... snap!! Great looking fields!

Much work is left to be done but should proceed in a manner that will provide a nice playing surface for the youth baseball in the spring.

With the sod installed, we now have just about everything ready to start the backstop installation - thanks to our sponsors.

After the backstops we will be putting in the pitchers mounds, final grade, and the flag pole.

Wish us luck or come and help us! (Either or both) but keep checking just the same. We aren't going anywhere, and we will keep right on working on this for the next three years (or more).

Thank you for your interest!

before

after

IRRIGATION BLUES...

Going over the plan with the new hires, Foreman Frank discusses disciplinary actions and pay cuts.

One sign says it all- irrigation blues...

Keep on rolling that pipe!!

Fall Irrigation Blues

You know, most people don't mess with irrigation projects in the fall, but we do. Saturday the 10th, we finally started on the irrigation installation in the cooler weather of October. We kept moving to stay warm and managed to lay down a lot of pipe. We would like to thank Kuna Lumber for their continued support of this project and helping us with the parts we needed for the sprinkler system. Some kids from the Kuna area showed up to help and they worked for awhile on it. I'll say that having these kids show up and help with this is what this project is all about. Loman, Brando, and Ben all worked helping to set pipe and dig trenches. After finishing the trenching, thanks to the Rental Connection in Kuna and putting in 1000' of pipe (we ran out) we decided it was time to call it a day and go home and watch football.

We still have a lot to do but will continue on through the week. We need more help, but hopefully we can get the sod in by next week. We have 1800' of pipe left to put in and 102 sprinklers. We have the tools but we need the people, so please come on out and give a hand.

If you live in the Kuna area and are familiar with sprinkler installations, we could use your help. There is still plenty to do, so if you are interested please contact us at walt.kbprc@dishmail.net

Right now we need a dump truck and a loader to bring in some top soil. This would be used for about ten loads - one way travel about three miles. If you can help with this, please let us know.

Thank you!

BACKSTOPS ARE HERE!

On Saturday we started welding the backstops together. At over thirty six feet, these backstops are going to be the tallest in little league baseball around the valley. They will be fitting into the overall safety plan for the park in an attempt to eliminate errant balls from flying into the crowds or out into the street - not to mention the opposite field during game times.

KBPRC members, Wil Douglas and Todd Lee, along with Jesse Hoseley, welded up the first stage of the 42' poles. These poles will be placed six feet in the ground and anchored in concrete. In the spring we will follow up with overhangs for even more protection.

Thank you to The Rental Connection in Kuna, Kuna Machine Shop, Home Depot in Meridian, Pacific Steel in Nampa, and PraxAir in Boise for their help with this project.

We have also began installing the four foot perimeter fence along Second Street. This will be done in stages. We have moved the fence back from Second Street in an attempt to increase safety at the park during games.

Pending Volunteer availability, all of this week there should be activity at the facility as we attempt to finish up the irrigation and the sod in time for the fall. We also plan to keep hauling dirt in to fill in the areas around the bases.

If you are a baseball coach or baseball parent and would like to help with any of these projects, please contact our Director at ... walt.kbprc@dishmail.net

If you are unable to help build, but would still like to participate in this community project, please contact us. We are going to be starting up fall meetings soon and we need new members to help with new ideas.

We could sure use the help!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES!

WOW!!

A lot of good people where on hand for this project and their help is greatly appreciated

Over 150 people showed up for the event and covered a lot of ground in a short time. In the background, as many as sixty people worked on the Grange and spruced it up. They painted fences, mowed weeds, cleaned up debris, and painted and scrubbed the interior of the building. Afterwards, the entire group was treated to a well deserved lunch. A big thanks goes to the youth of the community LDS church!

The LDS Youth and the KBPRC get to tearing out some fence along Second Street

When one tractor won't do it, better get a bigger tractor!

The local church community from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints came out in force and really showed their stuff! On Saturday over 150 kids and young adults between the ages of 12 and 18, along with parents, came to the park and hit several projects very hard.

Many brought tools and different items needed to make improvements to the Grange and Park, along with heavy equipment donated by the Rental Connection in Kuna.

It didn't take long for progress to show, and what a difference their efforts made in a very short time. Members of the KBPRC, along with the Lion's Club, and Kuna Grange who were in attendance, were very impressed with the amount of work that was completed in very short order. It is amazing what can be accomplished by this many people with the same goal in mind.

We would like to thank all of the members of the LDS church and everyone from the different groups that attended including the Kuna Lion's Club and the Kuna Grange for their help. A very special thank you goes to Tracy Trautman for organizing and coordinating the entire event. Thank you Tracy, your efforts are an inspiration to all of us!

We would like to list all of the kids and adults from the church who participated as well but we do not have all of their names. I promise you we will post them as soon as we do. (Gonna be a looong list).

Click on photo below to see more pictures!

Kuna Baseball Park Redevelopment Committee

KUNA LION'S HUNT GOLF TOURNAMENT

Click on picture to enlarge

Richard Cardoza chips on... It's a great day for golf!!

Team 4 - Ian Brown, Christian Collert, Jeff Carter, and Rick McCoy

Ready?... On three we all chug!

Jacks thinking, "So... just what goof invented the ball washer?!"

HELPING OUT AND HAVING FUN!!

Some members of the KBPRC had a good time on Saturday, as our sponsor, Glenn Walker of Architecture Designs Plus, put together a team for the KBPRC to take to the Lion's Club Golf Tournament. Thanks to Glenn's resourcefulness, we were able to get a team together at the last minute.

A sincere thank you goes to Glenn Walker, Jim Coslett, Ian Brown, Rick McCoy, Christian Collert, and Jeff Carter.

Along with other good organizations, Jim Coslett of Rock Solid Civil LLC helped sponsor the tournament and the KBPRC added some help. The inaugural golf tournament, which was coordinated and directed by Courtney Russell, was a huge success. We can't wait until next year!!

For more information on this and other important Lion's Club events, please go to http://www.kunalions.org/

Here is a bunch of KBPRC faithful. Along with the Information Booth, we had the company of the Lion's Club, and the Census 2010. Everyone had fun!

The Lions Club raffle for a barbecue went real well. Everyone had fun selling tickets and the winning one went to a very hard working member of the Leo's Club.

Volunteer work can make you hungry!! These two guys stayed most of the day.

KBPRC COMMUNITY SERVICE IN KUNA

Dustin gets busy with the bark, singin "yeah I'm the man, I'm the Man"

We always knew the Director of the KBPRC marched to a different tune!

"What a mess you boys are making!" observes Councilman Cardoza of Kuna

KUNA "RAIN" DAYS !!

The KBPRC was at the Kuna Days Information Booth again this year, handing out information and helping out where they could. We met some great people and made some new friends along the way. All in all it was a pretty good outing - minus the rain.

The Kuna Days celebration got off to a soggy start on Friday the 7th. Kuna received low 50 degree temperatures and a down pour of 1.7 inches of rain fall in a matter of two days, thoroughly testing the wills of the volunteers and participants. After a lull in the weather, a fantastic fireworks display was put on for all of the people who braved the unusual climate conditions. You can't stop Lloyd Stubbs and his pyro-tech crew from putting on a good show!

Since it "never rains" during Kuna Days, the weather brought some unplanned conditions along with it. MUD, lots of mud. You could tube the show, or wade to your favorite vendor treat in the concession area. Finally, after some phone calls and help from our reliable friend and sponsor Dustin Ferdinand of Ridge Line Construction, Dustin quickly came to the aid of Kuna Days and brought in 12 yards of bark to control the muddy conditions. After spreading it with his skid steer, a lot of the vendors were happy to have their patrons back! We all owe Dustin a big thank you!

CLEAN UP TIME!!!

The "old land fill" in down town Kuna has been removed and regraded. This unsightly mess had been a landmark in the City Center for many years, and is now residing at a more appropriate location east of town. The improvements and grading were part of a clean up initiative by the Kuna Baseball Park Redevelopment Committee, and performed by Dustin Ferdinand of Ridge Line Construction with material donated by Quality Sand and Gravel.

Much of the clean up was in preparation of the planned grade work to be performed between Second Street and the baseball fields. The relocation of the old storage shed used by the baseball association in Kuna, will offer added convenience to the facility and allow easier access for coaches and kids involved in any field preparation.

Clean up will continue with some weed mowing and straightening of the Grange Hall fence line. Complimented by the addition of an entry ramp plus gravel along the new pathway to the shed, this should complete the project in time for spring rain and mud next year.

Thank you Ridge Line Construction!! ......... Thank you Quality Sand and Gravel!!