New batting cages to officially open on Brussels Ball Day

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

Next Saturday, May 30, Brussels Ball Day will have a special wrinkle, as it will double as the grand opening of the new batting cages, constructed by the Brussels Optimist Club and completely funded by the group.

 

Dan Fritz of the club said that the project started when the club was approached about a new pitching machine for the Brussels baseball teams. The club took on that project, but then, after further discussion with Brussels Minor Ball and the Brussels Bangers and Tigers of the Huron County Fastball League, it was clear that there was a need for a proper batting cage at the diamond.
From a practical perspective, Fritz said, undertaking these larger capital projects is a way that the club can save on HST in its community betterment efforts, so this project was a match made in heaven for the club. 

 

Michael McDonald and Joel Kellington served as project co-chairs and Mike Guy, Fritz, John Groves, Anna Wilson, Coral Gingrich, Tim Strickert, Dwayne VanRavenswaay, Hayden TenPas and Mitch Kellington all served on the committee to make the plan a reality. The Optimists donated $25,000 to the project, with the Brussels 150th Homecoming Committee donating $10,000 and further donations coming from the Brussels Bangers, Brussels Tigers, J.M. McDonald Lumber, Mutual One Insurance, Bachert Xcavating, Edge Mututal Insurance, Germania Mutual Insurance, Brussels Minor Ball, Trillium Mutual Insurance, Orr Insurance (Becky Beuermann and Doug Sholdice), Brussels Development Trust, Tuckersmith Communications, Sholdice Financial (Susan Alexander), West Wawanosh Mutual Insurance, The Rammeloo Kids, the Brussels Lions Club and the Brussels Leo Club. Furthermore, in-kind donations were made by Beuermann Construction, Teeswater Concrete, Jack Engel, Darryl Houston, Somers Electric and Wade Stephenson.

 

Fritz said that because of the timing of the project, the cage was constructed late into the season last year, but the club wanted to ensure that it had the chance to settle over the winter and now, on May 30, it will officially open to the public now that some additional work has been done this spring to put the finishing touches on the cages.