By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Ideas for a ceremony for the sports floodlights installed at the Canyon View Ballpark are still in the discussion stage but the event is now being planned for early August.
John Bradley, Nephi City Recreation Director, Micah Richards, assistant to the city administrator, and Phil Baker, city parks and cemetery superintendent, having been working on a ceremony and a "thank you plaque" to honor donors who helped pay the expenses of installing the lights.
"One of our tentative ideas was to hold a little ceremony on the infield in conjunction with a co-ed baseball game," said Bradley.
It doesn't get dark until 8:30 p.m. and it would be fun to do the ceremony when the lights were on.
The trio had also thought it might be fun to have hot dogs to give attendees who could enjoy the food as they watched the game.
Mark Jones, mayor, said they could call them "canyon dogs"
"The first co-ed game is scheduled for July 17," said Bradley.
The games would run into August.
"If we had the ceremony in August," said Jones, "it would give us time to put notice of the event in the utility bills."
He said that the city might also have a home run derby the night of the ceremony.
Lisa Brough, council member, said she would like to see a "just for fun" softball game between the council and the staff and thought that would be a good addition to a ceremony.
The city "Light the Canyon View Ballpark" campaign to raise funds for Nephi City's Canyon View Ballpark was very successful with several large money donations and the city would like to honor those who stepped forward to make the project a success.
"We have been using the lights since the baseball/softball season began this year," said Jones.
Baseball has a rich history in Nephi, with the first game being played on January 1, 1875. During the fall of 1874, Samual Gilson and George Whitmore hatched a plan to put together two teams and play a game. Whitemore's team won that first game played on the city square in the snow, 87 to 17.
The city obtained the necessary funds in grants with $50,000 of that being dependent on Nephi City raising the other portion and the grants being the final money to complete the project.
Daniel's Foundation granted the city $55,000 to be one of the three large contributors.
The Eccles Foundation granted the city $30,000 which is to be the last of the money donated.
The Larry H. Miller Foundation donated $20,000 if the community could raise part of the $115,000 funding needed for the project.
Among local contributors were: Nephi Kiwanis Club, Nephi Chamber of Commerce, Nephi Lions Club, the Owens Corning Foundation, and the Sunderland Foundation (Ash Grove Cement).
Other community businesses, organizations and residents also contributed money to the council and at city hall and at a ballpark website.
