West Valley Middle School plans to build new sports fields

If all goes according to plan, West Valley Middle School soccer and baseball players will practice and play on their own campus by next summer’s end.

The district is in the early stages of turning a vacant, 10.74-acre plot adjacent to the school into athletic fields — a project expected to cost around $800,000.

Currently, baseball and soccer teams are bused to Wide Hollow and Cottonwood elementary schools, said Tom Fleming, district super-intendent of business and operations.

“We’re trying to make it so all the facilities are by the school,” he said, adding he hopes the bidding process can begin in March, and construction by May.

The project must first go through a city environmental review because a portion of the site contains two wetland areas that are part of Wide Hollow Creek. The northernmost part of the property will be left undisturbed to maintain a natural buffer zone between the fields and the creek and to protect the wetland areas, Fleming said.

The school district’s plans include converting two existing softball fields at the middle school into baseball fields and constructing a storage building with bathrooms. When the project is finished, the school will have two softball fields, two baseball fields and two soccer fields — which may also be used for middle school gym classes.

Money for the project will come from a capital project fund and expected proceeds from selling district property near Cottonwood Elementary School.

The city encourages residents to review and comment on the proposed project, as it fits under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act. All written comments received before Jan. 12 will be considered before the district can get a go-ahead on the project. They can be mailed to: Bruce Benson, Acting Planning Manager, City of Yakima, Department of Community & Economic Developments, 129 N. 2nd St., Yakima, WA 98901.

Also, an open public hearing on the project will be held at 9 a.m. on Feb. 12 at the Council Chambers at City Hall, 129 N. 2nd St.

• Melissa Sánchez can be reached at 577-7675 or msanchez@yakimaherald.com.