Here at the Courier News, we're working on a new series featuring "101 Reasons to Feel Good About Where we Live."
I don't think it would surprise anyone to see the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex make the list.
The Sportsplex has proven worthy of the investment taxpayers made some 13 years ago. The facility has hosted some big tournaments since its opening in 2002, including high school state tournaments, American Legion tournaments and youth state and regional tournaments.
By far, the most prestigious tournament, yet, will be played at the Sportsplex in the summer of 2015 -- the Cal Ripken Regional Tournament, which could, potentially, include a visit from the Oriole Hall of Famer himself. The road to the Cal Ripken World Series will go through Blytheville next year because of the city's outstanding baseball facility. That should be a source of community pride on its own.
Along with the tournaments, some 750 local young people participate in the baseball and softball programs each year, and nightly during the spring and summer families get to soak up the "Mayberry" atmosphere, in the words of Blytheville Baseball-Softball Boosters' Randy Scott.
The Blytheville Youth Sportsplex is among Blytheville's best assets, one that stacks up with any other of its kind in the state, in my opinion.
It allows Blytheville to provide local youths a great place to play and draws in visitors from numerous states, leading to Blytheville being well thought of in the baseball community.
The tournaments pump money into the area, boosting sales at gas stations, retailers, restaurants, etc., and providing a bump in sales taxes revenues that enable local governments to perform services for residents. Everyone benefits.
To remain a state-of-the-art facility and continue drawing in these events, the Sportsplex will need continued investment, like freshening up the paint, repairs to the parking lot, etc.
The five-year plan calls for equipment replacement; rewiring all 10 fields; resurfacing the asphalt parking lot; adding a maintenance shed to store equipment; and installing perimeter fencing around the entrances of the complex.
The city seems to have the money to meet the majority of these needs, with most, if not all, qualifying for infrastructure tax funds and certainly parks and recreation tax money.
I feel pretty safe in saying without the Sportsplex, voters wouldn't have approved the measure that allows the city to have the $562,624.47 in the frozen parks and recreation CDs. If memory serves, the biggest project in the campaign for a 1/4-cent tax was the covered seating at the Sportsplex.
Also, the permanent parks and recreation revenue stream, voted on at the same time, would not be in place if leaders were unable to show that it benefits the Sportsplex, along with the other parks and recreation facilities.
In my opinion, the Sportsplex has proven it deserves the continued investment.
In fact, it would be great if the powers that be used some of that parks money to put in some playground equipment or other amenities at the Sportsplex. But that's another column altogether.
Right now, I'm sure the BBSB would be content with the upgrades listed in the five-year plan.
Some of that work needs to begin well before five years. It would be a shame for the Cal Ripken folks to change their minds, if they didn't like what they see during a surprise visit should they pop in without notice.
Hopefully, leaders approve the needed improvements to the Sportsplex in a timely manner and continue to invest in one of Blytheville's marquee attractions.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com