OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa Community School District Board of Education approved two of the more important pieces of the proposed renovations of Legion Memorial Field, as well as construction of a new high school softball field in Ottumwa Park.

During Monday's meeting at Career Campus, the board unanimously voted to go with Axiom Consulting and Engineers for the design of the project, and then approved the conception design that will house baseball and softball in the same place.

Superintendent Mike McGrory said the district has $5 million budgeted for the project, and that by going with a civil engineering firm, the district could save on costs. The district hopes the project will come in under budget, and adjustments to the baseball field could help that cause.

The contract is for $185,000, or about 3.7% of the total estimated cost of the project. McGrory said going with an architecture firm would have been more expensive. The project is scheduled to begin later this summer, and the new complex open for the 2027 season.

"We vetted this with other schools that had gone with a civil engineer, and they had a lot of success with it," McGrory told the board. "An architect would probably be between 7.5 and 8.5, so it's a significant cost savings, and we're utilizing this as an opportunity to save costs on the project."

The project will place grass at Legion Memorial Field and install turf, based on the wishes of a committee formed to examine what the playing surface would look like. A committee overwhelmingly wanted grass for the softball field, which will be located off the first-base side of the baseball field.

District officials seemed to be won over by turf for the baseball field after a visit to Duane Banks Field on the University of Iowa campus. By installing turf, the district expects to save more money as well by bringing in the outfield fences, perhaps up to 40 feet, narrowing foul territory and shortening the backstop area behind home plate.

The softball field will have red stone instead of dirt, but also have its own amenities shuch as bullpens, a storage building, batting cages and grandstand. The middle school field, which also serves at the field for Babe Ruth League, will see lighting improvements and playing surface improvements.

However, with a turf baseball field, the middle school field will likely be used for more practice time, activities director Brandon Brooks said.

He also said a turf baseball field will allow for more time on the field, one of the positive aspects district staff learned on its visit to Iowa City.

"We're going to be able to get on this field, on a nice day in January or February to let kids get some reps in," Brooks said. "I think other programs will be able to get on there too, including softball or the middle school program, just to be able to get reps earlier."

Assistant superintendent Brad McCloskey pointed out another positive aspect to the complex.

"One thing that impressed me, with the conception design, is that we're forecasting 500 parking spots," he said. "I think it's going to be just an amazing complez. I couldn't be happier with where the conceptual design is right now."

The board will approve the construction design package in Juy, with bid approval in August, followed quickly by breaking ground.