Batting cage facility eyed for township

Little League seeks OK

By Jessica Ercolino
    UPPER FREEHOLD — A new temporary batting cage facility for the Allentown-Upper Freehold Little League (AUFLL) may be constructed at the township municipal complex, pending Township Committee approval.
    AUFLL is one of the three leagues in District 12 — which includes 20 area leagues — that does not have an indoor winter practice facility, according to Dave Reeder, president of AUFLL.
    Mr. Reeder, at last week’s Township Committee meeting, sought permission for the facility to be built adjacent to the municipal complex on Route 539.
    He explained that the league’s board of directors had found someone to sell them a greenhouse for that purpose, and that the league would be responsible for financing the construction, operating, heating and maintaining the facility. The project, he said, would be financed through fundraising and donations.
    The league’s proposal asks that the township provide use of the property, as well as an electrical connection, parking and bathroom facilities.
    The structure would be approximately 96 by 30 feet, and the batting cages would consist of suspended netting. The cages would be temporary fixtures, as the league is looking into securing a permanent facility elsewhere.
    The greenhouse glass would be covered with a plastic coating, officials said, and baseballs would be hit from cages into nylon fishnets, so no balls would hit the structure itself or break the glass.
    For the past two years, AUFLL has rented time and space at Diamond Player Development (DPD), a training facility on Route 33 in Hamilton. The league’s 24 teams use that facility at the rate of about $5,000 for five hours, according to the league’s proposal.
    Members of the board state that the cost of this project will be less than what they have paid in the past for DPD, and that having their own facility will allow players to train throughout the winter and be more efficient at the start of the season.
    Overall, the Township Committee agreed with Mr. Reeder’s proposal.
    “I think it’s a great idea; it’s permanent but not permanent,” said Committeeman Bill Miscoski. “We can use that property for something other than mowing the lawn.”
    Mayor Steve Fleischacker noted the league’s improvement and advancement into the playoffs in recent years when the players had training available throughout the winter.
    Two concerns raised by officials were parking and the facility’s electric bill.
    Mr. Reeder explained that use of the batting cages will be available only to groups of 10 to 12 players at a time, and parents will be asked to leave the facility while their children are practicing. There will be no seating available, Mr. Reeder explained, which should help alleviate any parking concerns.
    The facility would require overhead lights and an igniter for the heater, Mr. Reed said. The township would be responsible for the added electric expenses, but several committee members noted that they felt the increase would be minimal. Because the facility would not be county-owned, it would be for use of AUFLL members only. The committee mentioned the potential to charge neighboring leagues for use of the indoor facility, which would help cover the bill.
    If approved, the facility would be open from 6 to 9 p.m. on weeknights; weekend hours would exist, but are yet to be determined. Groups would be allotted one hour in the facility and AUFLL would organize the scheduling. The league would require players to be supervised by two adults, and one board member would be responsible for unlocking the facilities.
    Mr. Reeder explained that the price of the structure is available for a short time and harsh winter temperatures may be quickly approaching. He asked the committee to review the proposal and report during the Dec. 20 meeting, but the exigency of taking action led committee members to conduct a public question-and-answer session with Mr. Reeder at the end of the meeting.
    The committee requested that Township Attorney Granville Magee draft an official agreement to be reviewed by committee members prior to the Dec. 20 meeting, and a discussion will follow.