City youth leagues starting soon

City league sports are set to begin soon, with baseball and soccer both holding their first games in April.

After the December dissolution of the Creston Baseball/Softball Association, the Creston Baseball Club took leadership for youth baseball, while the Creston Parks and Recreation department took leadership of softball.

Creston High School head baseball coach Brandon Phipps, head of the Creston Baseball Club, spoke with the parks and rec board Tuesday night in order to iron out any details before the baseball season began.

Field chalk, lighting and the bathroom situation were talked about. While chalk and lighting were agreed upon, access to bathrooms is still up in the air. Water access in city parks typically begins May 1 due to concerns with freezing pipes. The park board said they’d review the extended weather forecast to decide if turning the water on early would be possible. If not, there will be port-a-potties available for use.

The first batch of baseball games are scheduled for Monday, April 13. Youth softball will no longer run alongside the baseball season in order to avoid scheduling conflicts. Softball is expected to begin mid-May and end before the Union County Fair begins.

Youth soccer will begin the first part of April and last five weeks. Registration is still open for the soccer program. Girls and boys in grades kindergarten through sixth grade can be registered through March 27 at 5 p.m. No late registrations will be accepted.

Parents can contact Parks and Recreation Director Rusty Zimmerman at 641-782-2000 ext. 208 or rzimmerman@crestoniowa.org for any questions.

In other park and rec news...

Progress on the McKinley Lake project continues, with asphalt pouring around the lake expected to begin in April. Zimmerman said fish will likely not be stocked and ready to go until next summer, as the DNR will spend this year getting rid of the various invasive species.

Approval was given for the Weary Ramblers to hold a concert at the Rainbow Park bandshell on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 5:30 p.m.

The board provided an update on the girl scout cabin funds, stating there is still $50,000 being held for the cabin from previous fundraisers and donations. There is no active plan for the rebuilding of the cabin. However, hopes are to use the funds to match a grant in the future.