Clear Creek Sees Progress

Clear Creek’s Ball Fields are starting to see their infield mix.The mix, which includes brick dust, was decided upon with the help of both Loy Jarrett and Kevan White. Mr. Jarrett, Project Manager for Gilmer County is currently working with inmate construction to build the Clear Creek Ball Fields with a completion date around the end of July or first of August.

Though currently working on the concession stand and viewing rooms, the project will soon move to begin laying 6 inches of infield dirt to cover the entire infield of the four fields. Then they will put in another inch of the brick dust and red dirt mix. The entire infield is to be covered so they can adjust the mobile bases to regulation sizes for whichever league needs the field.

As they have moved part of the budget from the parking lot to cover other projects, they have also saved at least $50,000 with the new infield mix they are using, according to Mr. Jarrett. The extra savings are being used for extra infield work and concrete work for the fields, including the dugouts for the four fields. However, they have not fully decided to leave the parking lot as gravel, Mr Jarrett states,

“We may have enough money left, as far as the parking lot is concerned to ‘tar and chip.”

Mr. Jarrett will be looking to complete the parking lot later with whatever they have left, and is considering possibilities of fundraisers or grants if there are any available.

The front two fields as you pull into the area will be completed as 300 feet fields with 90 feet maximum baselines. The farther two fields behind the concession stand will be completed as 225 feet fields with 70 feet maximum baselines. These are maximum lines to account for the adjustable baselines and pitchers mounds to maximize field usage for multiple leagues and requirements for those games.

As previously stated, Mr. Jarrett is utilizing inmate labor for this construction project to negate labor cost and serve the state rehabilitation program who holds about 6 to 8 crews for these projects according to Mr. Jarrett.