Construction of Lafayette’s new softball complex is set to begin this fall and city officials hope to complete it by next spring.
The park will have four fields outfitted with lighting, scoreboards and a sound system – plus a concession stand and press box. It’s designed to centralize the city’s softball teams. Previously, games have been split between two other sites.
Lafayette Girls Softball League President Matt Teal says the area needs more space for youth softball – last season, the League held more than 160 games.
“Bringing everyone, all the girls, together in a central location to be able to play and experience the sport together is just a huge accomplishment,” Teal says.
And Jefferson High School Athletic Director Peyton Stovall says it’s an opportunity to grow the sport even more.
“Great opportunity for our city to say, ‘Girls softball – we really need to pick it up there’ and we are doing that,” Stovall says. “Everybody’s kind of rallying behind them, so it’s exciting.”
The complex is mostly funded by private donations, and city officials say that’s moved up the project’s construction timeline by years.
Mayor Tony Roswarski says donations of land, cash, facilities and equipment have covered three-fourths of the total cost.
“We wouldn’t be able to come up with a whole $2 million on our own for several more years,” he says. “So this is going to make this complex available to our girls, to our community, to Jeff[erson] High School by next softball season.”
Roswarski says the remaining cost will be paid for by Economic Development Income Tax funds.
The complex will be located near the intersection of Powder House Lane and Elston Road in southwest Lafayette. It’s named after the late Richard Crosser, a local homebuilder and Jefferson High School alumnus.