Our vision for softball and baseball in Lafayette.

Expanding Fields in Lafayette

For 20 years, there has been a shortage of youth athletic fields in Lafayette. Here’s our plan for improving the situation.

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (YEAR 1):

  • Lafayette Little League to remove the permanent pitcher’s mound at Chaney Field at its own expense to facilitate softball and retain the grass infield

  • Lafayette Little League to provide $30,000 to add to $20,000 in earmarked funds from City of Lafayette to make immediate capital improvements to Upper Community Field making significant softball upgrades

  • Proposed potential first-year improvements: Replace current deficient infield dirt mix with proper 70/30 dirt mix, add screen shades across dugouts, batter box reinforcements, portable snack shack, battery powered scoreboards

  • Form a school fields task force (City, Lafayette Little League, School District) to spur improvements to the school fields within the Lafayette School District

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (YEAR 2):

  • Continue near-term upgrades to Upper Community Field for softball

  • Develop detailed plans and budget for adding a second softball field on Upper Community Field, creating a top-notch multi-field softball complex for Lafayette

  • Establish a dynamic fundraising campaign to develop Lafayette’s Upper Community softball complex

  • Complete the school fields task force analysis, identify improvement opportunities for softball, and leverage our community and key donors to fund improvements to school fields

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (YEAR 4):

  • Break ground on Upper Community Multi-Field Softball Complex to provide premier softball facility for Lafayette

  • Implement school field upgrades to ensure Lafayette school fields provide sufficient facilities for softball and baseball alike

  • Analyze softball/baseball field use data to ensure field use needs are being met

  • Collaborate with City to ensure development of future projects, such as DeSilva South project, maximize youth sports field access

Your Questions,
Answered

What benefits are in your proposal?

It provides an immediate cash infusion for needed upgrades to Lafayette’s primary City softball field at Upper Community Park.

It gives softball instant access to Chaney Field at zero cost to the City and without disturbing previously funded field improvements.

It preserves scarce City funds to implement future field upgrades and expansion efforts.

It unifies Lafayette and leverages community support for the shared goal of expanding field access and quality for youth sports in Lafayette.

It establishes a long-term legacy —a new, high-quality multi-field youth sports facility for softball at Upper Community Park.

What is LMYA’s proposal?

Read their proposal here.

What can I do?

1) Write a letter in support of Lafayette Little League and offer your sentiments about this impending decision. (Attached is a sample letter PDF - but please write in your own words!). You can email your letters to the City Council (cityhall@lovelafayette.org) and Director of Parks, Trails and Recreation Jonathan Katayanagi (jkatayanagi@lovelafayette.org) with subject line: Lafayette City Council letter for October 27 session.

2) RSVP to attend the City Council Meeting on Oct. 27 at 7:00 pm. If you are interested in speaking publicly, please also include your perspective in the same link. If you are unable to attend in person, but want to still provide a live public comment, you can raise your hand on the City’s Zoom link. You’ll have up to three minutes to speak, and spoken comments often carry more weight than written ones.

3) Pass this email along to Lafayette Little League families, past and present!

Contact Us

Email
fields@lafayettelittleleague.org