WEST SALISBURY and HEBRON, Md. - The plate's been getting crowded, so to speak in West Salisbury.
Jaycee Park on Pemberton Road is the home to the West Salisbury Little League - a league of champions that can't be contained in the small park.
A new multi-sports park has been proposed near Hebron, and it has been getting attention from neighbors.
"I think it'd be a great idea," said Perry Molock of Hebron. "The kids would have somewhere to go, and it'd be just great."
In recent years, sports facilities such as Jaycee Park have struggled to handle the growing demand for the facilities.
The West Salisbury Little League has been hit hard. Too few fields means the league as to limit the number of teams, and consequently the number of kids enrolled. Kids who can't enroll in the West Salisbury league need to join neighboring leagues. Delmar Little League has taken in players that otherwise would have played for West Salisbury - including softball players - and in 2022 Delmar went to the Little League Softball World Series - earning a second-place finish.
"It's not fair," remarked Dora Larimore of West Salisbury. "They should be able to play in their neighborhood. You know, have the facility there to be able to enjoy this side of town."
Relief could be on the way.
In 2009 the State of Maryland granted a 100-acre field on Levin Dashieel Road to Wicomico County for use as a recreational facility.
A proposal for a multi-sports park was presented to the public on Tuesday night. In the proposal was new softball fields. According to Steve Miller of Wicomico Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, attendees at the meeting also expressed interest in basketball courts, a playground, and even a BMX track.
The contractor that presented the proposal, Century Engineering of Dover, Del., also began administering a survey to collect public input. The online survey began on Wednesday and will be active for about one week before the contractor takes public feedback and begins putting together a new proposal.
The location of the proposed park was attractive to one West Salisbury neighbor, whose granddaughter plays tee ball.
"I think it should be done, because where the little league is now, sometimes the wind doesn't bring a very good smell," said Patricia Dize.
Dize was referencing the city wastewater treatment plant which is located immediately southeast of Jaycee Park.
Perry Molock also thinks this proposed park could be a win-win for Salisbury and Hebron, allowing for more sports in Salisbury - and more business for Hebron.
"Our people that own stores and stuff. We don't have that many, but the ones we do have, it should be great," Molock said.
Miller said that the proposed park is just in a draft stage. The next step is for the contractor to collect input from the online survey, and develop a new proposal based on that input.
A date for the next public meeting on the proposal has not yet been set.
Miller also said that there is not yet an estimated price tag for the project, but it would likely be at least several million dollars. He said that a tentative goal is to have the project approved and complete by about 2025 or 2026.
