Morristown takes swing at grant to improve ball field

The City of Morristown is aligning itself to potentially receive grant money from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to update its Babe Nordmeier Baseball Field.

According to Adam Uittenbogaard of Morristown, who is writing the grant on behalf of the city, Morristown is hoping to gain funding through the DNR’s Outdoor Recreation Grant Program, which aims to increase and enhance outdoor recreation facilities in local and community parks throughout the state. The program provides matching grants to local units of government for up to 50% of the cost of acquisition, development and/or redevelopment of local parks and recreation areas.

“Our goal is to do roughly $130,000 of improvements at the ball field, which includes updating things to be ADA compliant, including new handicapped-accessible bleachers, hard-surfacing the parking lot and making the bathrooms accessible, and redoing the fence and correcting the dip in the outfield,” Uittenbogaard explained.

To have a chance at the matching grant program, the community will need to come up with $65,000 for the proposed project.

“Thankfully, we have the support of the community,” Uittenbogaard stated.

Morristown City Council members accepted a $20,000 donation from the Morristown Fire Relief Association and a $25,100 donation from the Morristown American Legion Post 149 at a March 7 meeting for the purpose of supporting the ball field improvements and the matching grant application process.

According to Uittenbogaard, the Morristown Baseball Association will also be contributing funds to secure the needed $65,000 threshold.

The Morries will be holding their annual All-You- Can-Eat Mulligan Stew and Chili Feed and Silent Auction on Saturday, April 9 at the Morristown American Legion. According to Morristown Morries Baseball Association Board member Steve Nordmeier, proceeds from the event will help...

To see more on this story pick up the March 24, 2022 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.