VFW Ballfields Needs More Work Than Expected

APRIL 1, 2025 |

Photo – A few of the water/sewer problems at the VFW Little League baseball fields – Courtesy City of Rawlins

Fully repairing the Rawlins Little League baseball fields will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more than expected.

Before the March 18th regular Rawlins city council meeting, the governing body held a special workshop to discuss improvements needed at the VFW Little League baseball fields, located north of the Carbon County Fairgrounds.

Decades of deferred maintenance had left the Little League fields in an unplayable state. Since 2023, the city has been working to revitalize the fields to attract baseball tournaments.

During the March 18th workshop, City Manager Tom Sarvey reminded the council the $200,000 from last year’s budget had been allocated for improvements to the VFW Little League fields, with the funds evenly split between asphalt repairs and field renovations.

City Manager Sarvey said the council agreed to the expenditure to have the fields ready for the city to host the 2026 regional Little League tournament, with a state-wide tournament scheduled for some time in the future.

Sarvey explained the youth baseball series will bring positive attention to the community and its Little League players.

Following Sarvey’s remarks, Parks and Recreation Director Nikki Howell informed the council the fields are ready for play. However, additional upgrades could be made to improve the player experience, such as adding storage space to the dugouts, purchasing a public announcement system, and installing new scoreboards.

Howell said the city already purchased a new electronic scoreboard for the Little League fields using a Wyoming Community Gas grant. Due to electrical issues, the scoreboard has not been installed.

The Parks and Recreation Director asked to use $15,600 from the $100,000 renovation fund to run new electrical wiring to the northeast and southwest baseball fields. Howell also asked to use a portion of the renovation fund to buy an additional scoreboard.

Howell said both fields already have scoreboard, but neither board is functional.

Last year, the Rawlins city council voted to allocate $100,000 for asphalt improvements at the VFW Little League fields. At the March 18th meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Howell explained how the existing sidewalks are cracked and broken, making them a safety hazard.

Public Works Director Cody Dill said city workers can do the majority of the paving work, potentially saving $75,000 on the job.

During renovation work at the Little League fields last summer, the city tore down the dilapidated concession stand located in the center of the four baseball fields. In October, Rawlins Little League President Dawn Acre informed the governing body how most of the non-profit’s revenue comes from food and snack sales. By removing the concession stand, Acre said, the city has limited the Little League’s ability to generate revenue.

The city council agreed to construct a new concession stand at the VFW ball fields.

During the March 18th work session, Public Works Director Cody dill said a new concession stand, designed to meet necessary food safety guidelines, will cost the city more than $70,000. That amount is only for the structure.

Dill said a foundation and water and sewer infrastructure will add another $100,000 to the cost of the building, bringing the total closer to $200,000.

The Rawlins city council asked if purchasing a prefabricated building would be less expensive than a custom-built structure. Public Works Director Dill said the city would have to modify the prebuilt structure to fit its needs, which would likely increase the cost of the project.

The high-water table at the VFW Little League baseball fields has caused the entire underground sewer system to collapse, necessitating a full replacement. Public Works Director Dill recommended installing new water lines at the same time. Dill estimated the replacement of the infrastructure at $100,000.

Vice Mayor Darril Garner asked if city employees could handle the water and sewer replacement project to potentially save money over hiring an outside contractor. Dill explained using city workers would mean delaying their regular maintenance duties.

The city council agreed to prioritize completing the asphalt work, replacing the sewer system, and constructing a new concession stand.

City Manager Tom Sarvey said the $100,000 the council set aside for renovations has already been spent. The money for additional improvements must be allocated from next fiscal year’s budget.

Sarvey said the council may take a loan from the Sewer and Water Enterprise Fund to finance the sewer replacement project at the Little League baseball fields, but the loan would need to be repaid in full.

The Rawlins City Council will discuss which improvements can be made during an upcoming budget-setting meeting.