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Half Million Dollar Expansion Planned For Cantonment Park
January 5, 2011
A nearly half million dollar expansion is planned for the Cantonment Athletic Park.
The Escambia County Commission is set to award the $492,197.50 contract to low-bidder Roads, Inc., of NWF at their regular Thursday night meeting. The project consists of the addition of two multi-use practice fields at the park, including a grass parking lot, landscaping and drainage improvements.
The proposed site is currently wooded and almost completely surrounded by wetlands. A Florida Department of Environmental Protection permit will allow access to the site from the current park with a paved entrance road with a culvert structure.
The park expansion will be funded with local option sales tax monies.
There were a total of nine companies that bid on the project. The second lowest bidder was Gulf Equipment Corp. at $509,312.50 while the highest bid was $653,243.57 from J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc.
The Cantonment Athletic Park is an 80 acre regional park at 681 Well Line Road. The park has 12 baseball and softball fields, one football field, restrooms, concessions, playground and security lights. A partnership with Cantonment Baseball Club and Cantonment Football Club provides for various youth athletic programs at the park.
Pictured: An aerial view of the Cantonment Athletic Park showing 12 baseball and softball fields and one football field. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
21 Responses to “Half Million Dollar Expansion Planned For Cantonment Park”
does anyone know when the registration for cantonment baseball is? is it currently going on and where? i can’t find a good website for them. the only one i found had an email for a lady that said she hasn’t been connected to them in 3 years.
It’s about time!
First and formost Cantonment Football is where my son played all his youth football win or lose proud Cowboy and still proud of the organization he played for. As a parent I was very involved in all levels of the ball park from coaching to board member to volunteer parent for fundraisers. Im not sure in all my years in that park i ever seen any management it was always volunteers a very select few who always kept the focus of why we were there as a community as well for all children involved..Apparently things are possibily run diffferent then what they use to be which is a very big disappointment. As for funds allowcated for this ballpark are long over due, the ballpark was promised many years ago a practice field which to my knowledge has never been done to this date..As for other ballparks needing funds im sure they are well deserving as well….Just a reminder as to fees and registration one must know the cost involved in outfitting a child to play safely (Helmet average cost $49.00 and up depending on sizes) (Shoulder pads from $20 and up depending on size) (Pants pads $7.99 and up) (Football pants provided by park $35 and up and stripping extra) (Jerseys depending on print included can cost upwards to $35 and up) just these few items do the math someone has to pay for these items.. I know for a fact the last 2 years i was there jerseys were kept by the players at a lower cost and we even offered the pants at a discount price..This is just a few cost involved in running a ballpark…Cheerleaders pay out of pocket cost as uniform and shoes and warmups and these items are not cheep by far…Im still looking for the management that was mentioned earlier by someone else post there is none its called parent (VOLUNTEERS) coaches , board members, cheer and football last time I checked there were no payed workers just alot of caring parents trying to do what was best for there children and their community….Just my opinion and past exp. with this park…..MWM
To NaySay why go to the bigger parks you are going to run into the same thing. We offer Football, cheerleading and baseball and softball at N.W.E. GiVE OUR SMALLER PARK A CHANCE AND SEE HOW YOU LIKIE THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE UP HERE. I KNOW FIRST OFF OUR REGISTRATION FEES ARE CHEAPER.
As a parent who has had a child on the Cantonment baseball and football team, I can assure you there is nothing that I could see that constitute a $500,000 mave over. Like many have said they dont even use all of the baseball fields. Short of making over their management no amount of money is going to fix this park. Can’t even amagine how this park doesn’t have the money to renivate it’s self. As high as the sign up fee and uniforms cost. Not to mention that once they have gotten your money for those the inform you that there is another fifty dallors you have to pay out or your child will not be able to play. Thought that is what we paid for at sign up. I have seen kids on the football team who didn’t even get to participate in practice. Not just one day but on a regular bases. Can’t imagine how much game time they get. I’m sure that kid can’t wait to sign up and sit around next year. I have seen things such as the President over the baseball side of the park cussing out umpires. What a role model. Seen football coaches fighting and cussing at parents. Lucky him it wasn’t me. Let’s not even get started on clicks out there. I had 2 boys play baseball and football out there and one daughter who cheered. None of them will be returning there. Figure all three of them at about 8 more years and that is what they lost. Ashame since they will undoubtably have the best park now. Hope the park we go to next year is considered for $500,000 make over. Wether it is NEP or Brent.
Glad to see Cantonment is getting the much needed expansion and upgrades! I just hope that Park Management will be able to take care of it and understand that parents would be more willing to help if there wasnt so much “Daddy Ball” and “Who you know” going on! I dont know that any expansion will be needed if players keep leaving for other parks. My sons first year playing football at Cantonment there was Cantonment White and Maroon, there was also Girls Softball during Baseball season. Now we only have one team per age group (unlike most parks), no softball, heck.. half the football teams did not even have cheerleaders this year! I love Cantonment and hope with this Blessing comes people who know what to do with it!!!
Re: Roads, Inc. Wonder if George Touart’s son still works for them ??
I’ll point out in response to some of the comments below about a field house at Northview — the funds for a field house would have to come from the Escambia County School Board.
The ballpark expansion is funded by the Escambia County Commission and could not fund a field house.
Northtveiw needs a field house. But everyone that runs for office promise the north end anything they won’t to here and after we are step children. Hwy. 99 needs paving but we repave rds in Molino again. Your not off base with what the north end does not get our share of taxes back we pay. Maybe the next election we can get out the votes in Bratt, Walnut hill and other areas and see if our votes count. Money for the field house was there then it was spent in Molino.
WHAT CANTONMENT NEEDS IS……… New Management! They need good people to bring in more kids and families People who grew up with pride for cantonment and not status with cantonment. Vote out the non working establishment and vote in new blood with new ideas!, with pride for the name and what the Cantonment Cowboys stands for and have stood for for years which is PRIDE not status! IT Wasn’t about wins and losses or who wore the best clothes or had the coolest cars or a babysitter service for most! Growing up parents were involved in the park almost everyday! Participated in activities and other things! Now you have to force and beg them to do it! But it all goes back to Management and running off the good parents who like to do for their kids and the park….high prices for registration , doing fund raisers and still having to pay out of pocket for your kids part of the expense of the team….All falls on Management, doing their part for sponsorship, promotion, off season training and activities for the kids…Sparking and keeping interest in the park…Out with the old Management in with the new…oh but wait even if you booted them all out and held new votes the friends of the ousted would win!!! So what do you do???????
Football Mom, Thanks for the info! I would definitely say that a football practice field, parking, and new restrooms would all be on the top of the list of needs!
To those of you questioning the need for renovations, have you been to the Cantonment ballpark in the last couple of years? I’m sure some of you have, but I venture to say that many of you are speaking blindly. Please trust me when I say…Cantonment NEEDS this!
With that being said, I do hope this is a new trend and that each ballpark will be able to receive funding for major repairs and/or renovations as needed. Our kids deserve it…ALL of them…regardless of who they play for. As parents, we end up traveling to each of the parks as our kids play against other teams….I’m sure we can all agree that there are many parks who could use some help. I hope they all get it.
Unhappy with Cantonment try N.W.E. WE START SIGNUPS SATURDAY FROM 9-12 FOR BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AGES 3 YRS TO 18 YRS OLD WELCOME!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I’m not understanding why people are questioning “why” they are doing renovations to Cantonment’s Ballpark. The answer is this is the one they picked to give said money to to renovate. If you think your ballpark is in need of renovations you should contact your commissioner or talk to the president of your park. But either way, the kids that play at Cantonment are no less worthy than any other kids in the county.
No, they dont use ALL of the baseball fields but they do use a majority of them. They definitely use the football field, for practice and games and some of the baseball teams practice on it too. The work planned I believe is for the football park which is definitely worthy of upgrades.
Seems to me Cantonment does need TLC ….But if they would get rid of the clicks and stop running off good help and parents as well as kids maybe they would have more people to help give the park TLC and more of the fields would get used… We went to Ensley because my daughter plays softball but they havent had a program for it the last two years or so…so why support a park that doesn’t support your kids???? If it were to be voted on I would have voted for Molino myself.. atleast they are going some where…Cantonment is just a dying program with the same old people or the friends of the same old people running it…..BG…MN..
Why not put this money into Molino Ballpark? Cantonment ballpark already does not use all the fields they have access to, so why build more?? Why not put the money into a growing ballpark like Molino, or perhaps like Buzz suggested… Northview could sure use a field house?
Cowboy Mom – I think it will be a new football practice field. I agree with you though that both parts of the Park are in desperate need of TLC!!!!!! Maybe this is just the beginning
:)
Gee Roads Inc. getting a job for Escambia County, wow. Seems to me they are the only ones who win bids in Escambia County. Someone should really look into what county commissioners are getting in return for all these projects. Shame they can’t use some money to pave Cedar Tree Lane…all of it this time not just the end with the crack heads…….the end with people who have lived there for over 50 years and given many feet to the county….oh well nothing new for the new year
$492,197.50 for park improvements in Cantonment. We could sure use a fieldhouse at Northview (that is the county right?), considering we are the only high school in Escambia County without one. Do I have to keep paying county taxes if none of it is spent up here? I could be way off base here, that may be a school board issue, but if someone could spend 500,000 to pretty up a ball park, Come on man!
>>>As a taxpayer in Escambia County, I question Roads, Inc., getting all these contracts because they are the lowest bidder. Consideration should be given to their job performance, presently Highway 97
The Highway 97 project is not Roads Inc. It is Panhandle Grading and Paving. Also, just to point it out, Hwy 97 is a state road and the county commission has nothing to do with it.
As a taxpayer in Escambia County, I question Roads, Inc., getting all these contracts because they are the lowest bidder. Consideration should be given to their job performance, presently Highway 97. I think an investigation should be made into the contract award process and the county commissioners’ knowledge (or lack of) of the quality of work we are getting for our tax dollars. What percentage of large contracts are awarded to Roads, Inc. in Escambia County?
I am very excited to hear about this. If a ballpark ever needed some TLC, it is Cantonment’s. I do hope that equal attention will be given to the football facilities, as is given to the baseball areas…this has been an issue in the past. I currently have two children involved with the park activities (football and cheerleading) and am greatly looking forward to seeing the progress! Go Cowboys!