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Morristown Magazine 51 Ward had declined in usage. Now Talley Ward can host camps, dance and tumbling classes. “We’re trying to fill that space in a productive way to justify keeping it staffed all the time,” he said. “We’re looking at adding taekwondo and some fit- ness and a summer youth volleyball league.” That positive progress has inspired more invest- ment from city leaders. The City Council approved a roughly $5 million capital improvement program that will help the department improve facilities. The program will upgrade lighting at the Frank Lorino softball fields and irrigation to that park’s softball and baseball fields. The money will fund ta- king the park’s two 80-yard football fields and com- bining them into a single 100-yard facility. The irrigation at the softball fields is sorely nee- ded. Morristown is well placed to compete in hos- ting summer travel softball and baseball with the core cloverleaf necessary, however, the fields have been sorely in need of TLC. “If you have a typical dry July and August, you can have dirt bowls out there, irrigation will help,” he said. Likewise a better maintenance plan will help as well, he said. The parks and recreation supplier of clay to add to the mix in the infield had dried up, resulting in infields that were too sandy by far. Now, Barbee has connected with a supplier out of Alabama to bring in the clay necessary to dry and repair the fields without turning them into sand boxes. The fields themselves hadn’t been leveled in awhi- le, Barbee said but the department is going through that process noting that they’ve cut out up to 10 tons of dirt. Barbee praised maintenance staff but said they hadn’t been tasked or trained for field work. “Now, I’m wanting them to get educated on turf grass, infield, moisture control,” he said. “Every- thing to enhance the playing surfaces. That’s what people come to the park for.” Barbee said one of the difficult things in running a parks and recreation department is the wide va- riety of expectations people have for their tax do- llars. “The Rec department is always looking to apply something for everyone. We’re trying to bake a cake that 100 percent of the population will like and they won’t,” he said. “We’re always looking to grow and adapt. “If people have concerns, they should come to the parks advisory board and talk to us or come to my office, that’s always open,” he said.