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Edmond City Council
The Edmond City Council Monday approved a project budget and funding plan for upgrades to A.C. Caplinger Sports Complex at E.C. Hafer Park.
The project budget includes $17.5 million for the upgrades, and the Council approved reallocating budgeted funds in this fiscal year and next to fully fund the improvements at A.C. Caplinger.
Renovations for the A.C. Caplinger Sports Complex include equipping 10 fields with synthetic turf infields, grass outfields, new lighting, additional parking and another restroom. The current complex has 12 fields.
“We will begin design as soon as possible,” said Brad Raney, Edmond parks director. “The design estimate's six months, construction late summer and, at least one year for construction.”
Raney said this cost includes design services as well as the cost to construct the improvements, public art, and inspection services to ensure quality control. To fund the gap, he said budgeted funds this fiscal and next fiscal year will be taken from the rectangular field project and the indoor sports complex.
Raney said with the construction timeline, it means the A.C. Caplinger ballfields would be unavailable for the fall 2024 and spring 2025 seasons. He said Mitch Park would still be available for baseball and softball.
“We'll still have Mitch Park available and looking to do our best to squeeze in what we can,” he said. “But 12 ballfields will be down for the construction period, so there's no extra 12 fields to replace that. It will be a difficult year there as far as operating baseball that year. But we want to provide a great product in the most efficient way, fastest way possible, which is why we're suggesting this. We're hoping to have the park available for the fall 2025 season and try not to go an entire calendar year without baseball. We're spending just under a half- million to renovate the restroom and that's on schedule and hopefully should be open within a month or so.”
In other matters the City Council set fees for its 10 electric vehicle charging stations within the city.
Utilizing grants from the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments, the City pursued the installation of electric vehicle charging stations throughout Edmond.
To date, the City has installed and operates 10 separate stations. Three level-two charging stations can be found at Service Blake Soccer Complex. Two more are at Mitch Park, while others are at Edmond Center Court, the City First building, Edmond Railyard, and at the intersection of East 5th Street and South Broadway. Currently, there is no charge for the use of these stations.
To support the operation and maintenance of these chargers, the City is implementing a per kilowatt-hour (kWh) rate for use of these facilities.
The new fees start April 1. The city’s level-two charging stations will charge $0.25 per kWh, and the city’s level-three charging station at Festival Market Place will charge $0.32 per kWh.