Gallina: Lady Viking Softball Players Move to New Home This Spring

Michael Gallina, superintendent of North Canton City Schools, gives the community an update on the new Lady Viking Softball Complex. Gallina sent this news release to local media outlets.

We are incredibly excited to share that our five-time state champion Lady Viking Softball program will be moving to its new “home” this spring! As you have driven along 7th Street over the past several days/weeks, I am sure that you have seen several large earth movers engaged in reshaping the ball field areas on what are called the Dogwood Fields. This construction process is the beginning of the formation of our new Lady Viking Softball Complex. Below, I will summarize the key points of this exciting project:

• The two fields that are in the southeast (back left) and southwest (back right) will be reshaped into two regulation high school softball fields. The southeastern (back left) field will be turned and redesigned as it becomes the home of the varsity team. That field will also have batting cages and a “team storage” room, in addition to dugout areas. The southwestern (back right) field will become the new home of the junior varsity team.

• The two fields that are immediately adjacent to 7th Street will remain as they are.

• The use of the fields will be as follows: The new varsity field will be used solely by our varsity program. The new junior varsity field and the two fields adjacent to 7th Street will continue to be made available to our community groups as they have been in the past.

• Phase I of the project will include the fields, dugouts, bull pens and fencing.

• Phase II of the project will include permanent seating and lighting for the varsity field.

• A unique feature of the project will include a Hoover Championship Park area as you enter the complex. This area will be tree-lined and include commemorative bricks that have been purchased during the fundraising campaign. It is not too late to purchase your brick! Please contact Herb Hall (330-936-6720) should you wish to purchase a brick to be included in the Hoover Championship Park area!

• If the project stays on its current timeline, the field construction will be completed prior to winter and we will be ready for play in late March.

• The funding for this project has come from private contributions made from local businesses, the Hoover Foundation and individuals from our community.  The school district has contributed money in the amount of $20,300. This has not come from the General Fund. No taxpayer monies have been allocated to this project.  We have used proceeds from our cell tower agreement. The cell tower proceeds are earmarked for needs in and around our stadium area, where the cell tower is located. Such projects as the stadium track, stadium turf and new lockers for the stadium locker room have received support from our cell tower agreement.  We have been blessed to have this funding source. It one way the district has been creative in finding ways to gain new revenue without having to ask our voters.

I want to close by saying that the Lady Viking Softball Boosters have been tremendous in their planning, fundraising and visioning! I have been honored and impressed as I have been in meetings with this wonderful group. They are “champions” in every sense of the word, as well! So, consider purchasing a brick of your own for use in Championship Park and be sure to catch a game with our State Champion Lady Vikes!