ALANSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Spring 2024
A NEW VISION: IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SPORTS COMPLEX “If you build it, he will come.” The famous line heard by Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner in the 1989 film Field of Dreams, has new meaning in the Village of Alanson. In October 2023, representatives from the Village approached the APS School Board with a new vision for the sports complex on Chicago Street. The Village offered to purchase the complex from Alanson Public Schools for one dollar with the understanding that Village resources would be spent to reconceptualize the property as a sports complex, and a greenspace for Village residents. Following this initial discussion, the Village engaged Gosling Czubak Engineering Services to provide a site design for a new baseball field, softball field, Little League baseball field, paved track, soccer fields, and walking path. This plan, along with the recently completed Members of the Alanson Public Schools School Board and Village of Alanson Council Members five-year recreation plan submitted to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources exchange $1 for the sale of the complex. (MDNR), qualified the Village to apply for up to $400,000 in grant dollars from the MDNR Natural Resources Trust Fund. If successful, grant dollars will be used to re-build existing ballfield infrastructure, build a new concession stand and bathroom, and provide infrastructure compliant with accessibility standards consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The project will likely be split into multiple phases. In the first phase, the Village will build the concession stand and improve the existing fields. Field improvements will include complete irrigation of the baseball and softball fields, enclosed batting cages, bullpens, dugout improvements, seating improvements, improved drainage, and a complete field rebuild. In total, the site is slated for more than $1,000,000 in renovations without the burden of additional funding from the taxpayer. If funding is successful, phase one will likely begin after the 2025 baseball and softball seasons. The second phase of construction will include the paved track and soccer fields. Should funds be available, the construction of a Little League field may expand the site in the future. For more information regarding this partnership, please visit villageofalanson.com.
MI HEARTSAFE SCHOOL This designation means that our school is prepared in the event of a cardiac emergency.
It is with gratitude and great appreciation that we thank the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation for their generous funding award that has supported the purchase of 2 brand new AED units! Our MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) / CERT (Cardiac Emergency Response Team) which is made up of school staff members that volunteer to be on this Team.
OVERALL SITE MASTER PLAN SCALE: 1" = 50'
An ariel view of the projected plan.
1,000 CAREER POINTS Christian Silveus, a senior at APS, made his 1,000 point basketball career on February 2, 2024. APS Alumni, Brooke Nguyen and Brett Williams, also 1,000 point career holders, presented a poster and signed basketball to Christian. Congratulations!