Ralph Campbell opens ditch
on Wayne Underwood field yesterday
Work was progressing yesterday to install new sewage lines at Wayne Underwood Field.
Ralph Campbell was putting the finishing touches on a $2,800 improvement project, the work provided by the Town of Grantsville.
The Calhoun Commission received this grant and other funding for improvements to the field, including electrical and water system upgrades.
Most of the project is being done with funding from Sisters of St. Joseph's Charities and the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation.
Calhoun commissioner Rick Sampson said "We're very grateful to have received these grants."
He said the upgrade on the water system has been made.
The projects have been lagging behind, said Sampson, "But it looks like we are going to get them done."
The complex is also scheduled to have a walking trail installed around the perimeter of the field. The asphalt walkway is being done with grant money.
There is some controversy over placing asphalt in the corners of the end-zones of the football field, with youth league parents
saying such construction could prohibit the use of the football field for sanctioned play.
Dan Westbrook, who oversees the sanctioned rules for the seven regional youth leagues, says the asphalt creates safety problems for the young players.
He says some of the teams will object to the hard-surfaced trail being in the end-zone area, and likely refuse to play.
Calhoun County Schools continues to deny the use of the new football field at Mt. Zion for youth league football games.
Westbrook said Calhoun Schools is the only county in the region that has denied their field for youth league football games.
The group had been requesting to use the Mt. Zion facility for games three to five times a year on Sunday afternoon, while continuing to use Wayne Underwood Field for practice.
Using Underwood Field for youth league practice would not be a problem, said Westbrook.
Commissioner Sampson said "Hopefully, we can work through these problems so the field can be utilized for sports activities, senior citizens and other community events."
He said an option would be to place astro-turf on the sections of the walking trail that appear to be causing a problem.
Sampson also said a picnic shelter is being built on the Underwood complex with an $800 grant and volunteers are planning to do other work to clean up the field and make it more usable. | 
