Lincoln Little League is looking to build a permanent home for Damariscotta softball and baseball teams.
Lincoln Little League President Paul Miner appeared before the Damariscotta Board of Selectmen Nov. 4 to ask if the board would consider transferring ownership of a 13-acre parcel of land off Back Meadow Road to his organization.
Lincoln Little League was chartered in 1967, and will celebrate its 50th season in two years. This season, Miner said 250 players on 28 teams participated, numbers he anticipates will increase in the next year.
Currently, the program uses ball fields in Damariscotta for practice and games, including the baseball and softball fields at Great Salt Bay Community School and the Barry Petrillo Memorial Field at the CLC YMCA.
Miner told the board scheduling conflicts sometimes displaces various teams. Additionally, the Berry Petrillo Memorial Field also is used by the YMCA for activities other than baseball, Miner said.
“There’s a soccer field that runs through the part of the outfield,” Miner said. “It’s very hard to get grand funding for improvements when a field is being used for something other than baseball.”
The field is also no longer lit, at the lighting poles were taken down when the YMCA extended its parking lot in 2011.
Miner asked the board to consider transferring the ownership of the 13-acre property on Back Meadow Road to Lincoln Little League to be turned into three baseball fields. Miner said he had looked at the former site of the landfill on Biscay Road, however there were environmental hurdles that would need to be crossed.
In addition to the three ball fields, the space would also include a permanent concession stand and bathroom facilities. The field complex would be close to Great Salt Bay Community School to allow students to walk safely to practice and games after school, Miner said.
By creating a centralized location for the Damariscotta Lincoln Little League teams, Miner said some of the benefits would include the ability to reach more youth, an increase of field availability, and the opportunity to host tournaments and bring people into the community.
“Right now, Little League will not host tournaments in any of the Lincoln County fields because they don’t have a grass infield and other qualities they look for,” Miner said. “We are behind the curve on the quality of our fields.”
Selectman Jim Cosgrove said if the town were to turn over the parcel to Lincoln Little League, he wanted to make sure the organization would be “financially strong” enough to maintain the field. Miner said the organization will apply for grants and use concessions sales and sponsorships to raise the money to maintain the field.
“That is an obvious paramount concern,” Miner said.
Lorraine Faherty, a member of the Damariscotta Cemetery committee, said the committee had some concerns about the use of the land adjacent to the Bethlehem Cemetery, and the committee would be submitting these concerns to the board in writing.
Selectmen did not take any action regarding the field. Selectman Josh Pinkham suggested Lincoln Little League return to the selectmen with a detailed proposal as well as a fundraising plan for the maintenance of the fields.
