City commits to Downtown Lions Ball Park repairs

Repairs to fencing at Downtown Lions Ball Park damaged by a vehicle earlier this year will go ahead.

Prince Albert’s city council voted on Monday to use more than $14,150 from the Pehonan Parkway Reserve to fix the fencing, if needed.

A stolen vehicle was driven into the fence at Diamond 3 in mid-May, ripping a cement support out of the ground. The vehicle also damaged the infield and outfield turf.

The field is used by the Prince Albert Slo Pitch League.

Community services director Jody Boulet said they didn’t want to wait any longer to do the repairs.

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“It’s been a major disruption for the league, and it’s been an unfortunate disruption, because something I don’t think everybody realizes is the Slo Pitch League just completed $30,000 in upgrades to the fencing that was, in fact, damaged.”

The damage happened fairly soon after the upgrades were completed.

Boulet said the approved funds would only be required pending the insurance process.

“If we do have funds or all of it or a portion of it that’s provided in support of that, then we won’t require any. However, if … the decision goes the other route, we’ll either have to consider our options to appeal, or to pay for it through the Pehonan Parkway Reserve.

“So, we’re still going to stay tuned for those responses as we still await them.”

The City, however, is looking to ultimately recoup the cost of the repairs through SGI. However, Boulet was informed that Prince Albert is not eligible to receive insurance payments for the damages under the Automobile Accident Insurance Act.

In the section covering eligibility for claims related to damage caused by uninsured drivers, loss or damage to property owned by the province, federal government or a municipality would not able to make such claims.

Boulet said the City is still going through the insurance process, exhausting all avenues before they give up that approach.

“So certainly we’re going to try to make that our Number 1 priority,” he said. The City has been told that a claim could be submitted under the Prince Albert Slo Pitch League.

“However, now, we don’t want to wait any longer,” Boulet said. “We want to get the repairs back in place, still see through the insurance process and now we have a contingency through the Pehonan Parkway Reserve if we require it.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames