Funtastic urged to fix fields

Photo: Kate Bouey

Funtastic is being urged to invest in the playing fields on DND land south of Vernon.

In a letter to the board of directors, former president John Topping urged the organization to plow funds into upgrading existing softball diamonds and create a new field.

“It has been 15 years since any significant investment has been made at the DND fields,” the letter stated.

Topping, who was inducted into the North Okanagan Hall of Fame in 2015, was one of the founders of the highly successful slo-pitch tournament which began in 1985. It has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local sporting facilities and groups while injecting $4 million into the regional economy each summer.

“Growth at the DND fields was fast and furious,” Topping said of the effort to build the diamonds. “The cost was enormous but the investment paid off.

“It was calculated that a field would pay for itself in three years. We could not have done this alone – but with cost sharing from GVPRD and B.C. government Go grants the cost became manageable.”

Topping also asked the board to consider a new field in order to allow more teams to play at the site during the tournament which is held on the Canada Day long weekend.

“DND has never indicated it would take back that land and it is indeed highly doubtful. I recommend to you that, with the support of Greater Vernon Parks, the final field be completed with the cut and fill being done first thing this coming spring as it needs to settle for a year. This coming year it could be used as an overflow parking area.

“Just think how many more teams you could have on the site, and there would be some added parking spots near the new field as well. Please consider this idea as it is a great spot to play ball and would add enormously to the site.”