The council took its own advice about doing business in city as they awarded the contract to install the poles and lights at Brent Mayne Field to Englewood’s Duro Electric.

The council voted 6-1 on Dec. 7 to award the contract for more than $291,000 so the local firm can complete the plans for the baseball and softball complex located at the east end of Centennial Park.

None of the money comes from the city’s general fund. The proposal calls for using a $167,000 Arapahoe County Open Space Grant along with money from the city from the funds Arapahoe County returns to municipalities that represent the community’s portion of the open space taxes. Jerrell Black, parks and recreation director, told the council the share-back funds, the money the city receives from the county open space taxes, are required to be used only for recreational uses.

While six members of the council agreed with the proposal, Councilmember Rick Gillit opposed it and voted against it because the city is experiencing tough economic times.

“I believe that growth should pay for growth,” he said. “I would love to see the park lighted but the budget is tight and I just am not confident this is the right time to do this.”

The resolution passed by a 6-1 vote and plans are to have the lights in place and working by spring.

Englewood took steps in 1999 to annex the land between the old Centennial Park border and the South Platte River. Plans for the expansion included creating a small athletic field, a baseball diamond, a softball field, a bike path trail head, boat ramps on the river and parking for users.

The next year, Englewood and All Souls School joined forces and working through the Field of Dreams project, received money from then Colorado Rockies catcher Brent Mayne for the expansion and creation of the two ball fields.

“The original plan in 2001 was to light the field but there wasn’t sufficient funds for that part of the project,” Black told the council at the Dec. 7 meeting. “However, we did have the funds to do the wiring and install the bases for all the light poles.”

Mayne was on hand for the groundbreaking in April 2001. The project was completed and the fields dedicated in October of that year.

Englewood High School used the baseball diamond for the annual Pirate-Sheridan baseball game and the Pirate girls softball team plays home game on the adjacent softball field. Additionally, the All-Souls teams play all their home games at the fields. Additionally, the city rents the fields to several adult baseball leagues. Black said rental use probably will increase dramatically next year when the fields are lighted.