Wildomar Parks, Baseball Fields Being Brought Back From The Abyss

Despite flourishing weeds and long-vacant grounds, Wildomar's parks and baseball fields will soon undergo transformations in preparation for what city officials hope are better days ahead for the facilities.

During the Wednesday night regularly scheduled Wildomar City Council meeting, council members voted 5-0 to approve a massive volunteer effort aimed at cleaning up the city's parks. The council members also approved with a 4-0 vote agreements that pave the way for sports organizations to utilize the baseball fields located behind Wildomar Cemetery.

Mayor Pro Tem Marsha Swanson had to recuse herself from the latter vote because she lives in close proximity to the baseball fields at the cemetery.

With its parks' vote Wednesday, the council is taking the United Methodist Church up on its offer to help reinvigorate the city's Marna O'Brien, Heritage and Windsong parks with new landscaping, grass and cleaning on Oct. 26 during a "Great Day of Service." 

Sun City church leaders first approached the city about UMC’s Great Day of Service earlier this year. As part of the nationwide annual event, the UMC selects community projects and recruits church members and volunteers to complete them.

The UMC's Tom Pilkington was on hand for Wednesday's meeting and said his group is anxious to get started with efforts to solicit volunteers and collect donations for landscaping materials for the parks. He explained that through a print and online advertising campaign, combined with door-to-door solicitations, the church hopes to garner about 500 volunteers for the Oct. 26 project.

Pilkington said the church has in the past focused on large projects, sometimes international in scope, but now the emphasis is on local communities.

"We're not doing enough locally and we recognize that," he said.

Council members thanks Pilkington for his effort that will help reopen the long-shuttered Heritage and Windsong parks. Councilman Bob Cashman also stressed he wanted to see the right plants for the project. He called for drought-tolerant species suitable for the local environment and park use. Wildomar City Manager assured Cashman that a landscape architect and Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District will be consulted on the project.

Pilkington said a lot of money will need to be raised by the church for the refurbishment project. After the rehab is complete, the city will utilize fees collected from a special tax approved by voters last November to fund ongoing maintenance at the three parks.

Those interested in volunteering or donating for the Great Day of Service can visit http://www.rethinkchurch.org/impact-event/2013-great-day-service for more information.

Along with the Great Day of Service effort, city council also approved  agreements with the Wildomar Cemetery District and Wildomar Little League that open the door for sports leagues to lease the baseball fields behind the cemetery. Under an agreement with the cemetery district, the city will lease the land for $1 a year; under a separate agreement, the city will lease the baseball facilities (improved fields, dugouts, etc.) for $1 a year from Wildomar Little League.

due to issues with league reorganization, according to Nordquist. The league has improved the property for sports use, and sports equipment is still located at the site.

The city manager said that although other sports leagues and tournaments have expressed interest in utilizing the fields, there are no agreements in place at this time. He hopes revenues generated from future agreements will help pay for maintenance at the site.

Nordquist said the fields will come in handy when Marna O'Brien Park closes this fall and upcoming winter for the rehab and planting. The park is currently the only city facility being utilized for field sports.