After public consultation and an open house, the Gibsons Minor Baseball Association (GMBA) now has approval to install field lighting at Ryan Dempster Field of Dreams.
Gibsons council voted Tuesday night to approve the lights and begin negotiations with GMBA for their timing schedule and electricity bills.Brian Scarr, president of GMBA, beamed from the gallery as the vote passed with great enthusiasm from council."GMBA is ecstatic with granted approval of the lights," Scarr said. "This is a historic moment for Gibsons and the entire Sunshine Coast baseball community."
Scarr led the campaign to have lights and numerous other improvements installed at the field after receiving a $360,000 donation from hometown hero and Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster.
The public meeting, held at Gibsons and Area Community Centre on March 31, saw a turnout of about 30 people, only four or five of whom raised concerns according to Jeffery Paleczny, planning assistant for the Town.
"There's no question that the lighting of the [Ryan Dempster field] will affect the immediate neighbours in the apartment building as the light will be visible from the apartment," he said.
But, Paleczny said, Musco Green Generation Lighting, the company contracted to install the lights, would work to ensure there was minimal "spillage" of light off the field. He added that the lights would bring an overall benefit to Gibsons and the surrounding communities.
Musco has previously installed sports and event lighting at most of the professional sports facilities in North America as well as facilities in Europe and the Middle East.
Coun. Chris Koopmans said the public meeting provided a "healthy discussion" on not only the lights but other issues local residents face with the field and community centre including increased traffic, teens using the park as place to hang out and drink and noise coming from the community centre. Koopmans said staff were able to help assuage the residents concerns and he agreed the lights would be an overall improvement.
"I think this will be a great treasure for the Town of Gibsons to enjoy for the years to come," Koopmans said.
Paul Gipps, chief administrative officer for the Town, said the Town had reached tentative agreements regarding lighting schedules and costs which will be revisited frequently. He added that the public's concerns about the community centre will be itemized and sent to the Sunshine Coast Regional District, which is responsible for the centre.
