New Rules In Place For Baseball/Softball Center

Now that the city's batting cage complex is done, recreation committee members are looking at rules and regulations for its use.

The batting cages are located at the J.B. “Red” Owens Complex.

Committee members looked a draft of the proposed rules during their Wednesday meeting.

The baseball/softball center will be open 8am – 8pm Monday through Saturday and 1pm – 4pm on Sundays, according to City Administrator Fox Simons.

The batting cages close earlier than the park itself to allow people to return keys to the cages and retrieve their drivers licenses, which must be left at the front desk of the Bagwell Gymnasium in order to use the batting cage facilities.

The batting cages are free for city residents to use, Simons said.

Out of city residents and travel teams will pay $40 per cage for the hitting area only, and $45 per hour per cage for the hitting and pitching area.

“We can always change them if we need to,” Simons said. “These are not set in stone.”

Simons said the rental prices are not meant to compete with area businesses.

“We didn't build it to compete,” he said. “It's primary purpose is for our own rec programs – Little League, Dixie Softball, as an alternative field for practice and to draw tournaments.”

Only 6 cages can be rented at any one time. Maximum rental is two hours at a time.

“There will be 2 cages at all times open to the public,” Simons said.

No metal cleats or spikes are allowed in the cages. Plastic cleats, turf shoes or sneakers only.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Food, drink, gum, sunflower seeds or tobacco products are not allowed at the baseball/softball center.

Simons said another batting cage is open to the public, first come first serve, at Pope Field.

The baseball/softball center and its cages will open on Monday.