Raccoon Valley Little League faces road access challenge
The Raccoon Valley Little League in Des Moines is facing a potential crisis as it may lose access to the private road leading to its playing fields at Water Works Park by the end of the year.
More than 250 children play baseball at these fields every summer, but the road, owned by the group that also owns Park Avenue Self Storage, is set to close at the end of the year.
"We've put in a lot of time and effort these past three or four years to really rejuvenate the league, and to be presented with a new obstacle, that, you know, could potentially lead to the end of the league was a little discouraging," said Ross Edwards, president of the Raccoon Valley Little League.
Edwards was surprised to receive a letter from Park Avenue Self Storage last Friday. In a statement to vlog, storage manager Richard Leonard said the company was pleased to provide "complementary access to Water Works property" over the years but now finds it necessary to put the property to a more economically sustainable use.
Edwards is forming a task force with a local real estate developer, attorneys, designers and contractors to find a new way to access the fields. One option could be building a new road.
"Those alternate access roads would be significantly costly. I mean, money that the league wouldn't be able to pay out of their pocket," Edwards said.
He added that Water Works cannot afford a new road either, so he is hoping the baseball community can help.
"Everybody else that's had an experience down here knows what it meant to their son or daughter, and they want to help ensure that that opportunity is there for future kids," Edwards said.
Another option is to move the league to a new location, but that would also be costly. The gravel access road will remain open for the rest of the summer but will close by the end of the year.