Eli Hammel of the Port Angeles Parks and Recreation Department hoses down the infield at Civic Field on Wednesday in preparation for this evening’s season opener of the Port Angeles Lefties baseball team. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Eli Hammel of the Port Angeles Parks and Recreation Department hoses down the infield at Civic Field on Wednesday in preparation for this evening’s season opener of the Port Angeles Lefties baseball team. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Port Angeles Lefties assured of stadium through 2024

PORT ANGELES — Play ball.

The Port Angeles Lefties open their season today with optimism and the assurance that Civic Field will be their ballpark for years to come.

The City Council last week approved a five-year facility use agreement with MACK Athletics, Inc., the Lefties’ parent company, that will allow the summer collegiate baseball team to play in the city-owned stadium at 307 S. Race St., in Port Angeles through 2024.

“I am so grateful that we have an active baseball team here in Port Angeles,” City Council member Cherie Kidd said before the unanimous vote May 21.

“It has created excitement. It’s brought in visitors and revenue. It’s so fun in the summer to drive down Race Street and see all that excitement and activity at Civic Field.”

The Lefties begin play with exhibition games against the Northwest Honkers at 6:35 p.m. today and Friday.

After another exhibition game against a Cuban team in Victoria on Sunday — and a road trip to Portland next week — the Lefties will return to Civic Field on June 7-9 for a weekend series against the Bellingham Bells of the West Coast League.

Port Angeles joined the wood-bat West Coast League as a new franchise in 2017. It is the only West Coast League team on the North Olympic Peninsula.

“Port Angeles is a baseball town,” Kidd said, “and now we have a team to get behind.”

“They’ve invested in us and we’re investing in them,” she added.

The Lefties are renting Civic Field for $291.75 per game this year, or $10,211 for the 35-home game season.

The per-game cost will rise by 3 percent in each of the next five years, according to the terms of the facility use agreement.

Revenue from the agreement will be placed into a special city fund for improvements to Civic Field such as a new wheelchair ramp and hand railings for the stairs in the main grandstand, Parks and Recreation Director Corey Delikat has said.

The Lefties also have made improvements to Civic Field, most recently a new walkway behind the bleachers, concrete stairs from the north parking lot, new concession stands and an improved sound system.

“Our Civic Field looks fabulous,” Kidd said.

The city received $250,000 in lodging taxes for capital improvements to Civic Field in 2017 and 2018 that came as a result of the Lefties being established.

The city spent $117,500 in lodging tax funds to upgrade the facility before the first game in June 2017, including the replacement of a leaky Civic Field roof and the purchase of a home run fence.

Civic Field also is used for the Port Angeles High School football, baseball and soccer teams; Wilder baseball; youth baseball and high school graduations.

“I’m just so proud of the Lefties and of the management and the spark they’ve brought to Port Angeles, in addition to economic development,” Kidd said.

“This is a fun way to have economic development. Just get a baseball team and everybody comes.”

For information on the Lefties, visit www.paleftiesbaseball.com.

________

Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.

The grandstand at Civic Field will welcome baseball fans tonight for the season opener for the Port Angeles Lefties. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

The grandstand at Civic Field will welcome baseball fans tonight for the season opener for the Port Angeles Lefties. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Mike McFadden mends torn netting above the on-deck circle at Port Angeles Civic Field on Wednesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Mike McFadden mends torn netting above the on-deck circle at Port Angeles Civic Field on Wednesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

More in News

Denise Thornton of Sequim deadheads roses on a flower display at the Sequim Botanical Garden at the Water Reuse Demonstration Park at Carrie Blake Park on Wednesday in Sequim. Thornton, a volunteer gardener, was taking part in a work party to maintain the beauty of the garden. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Rose display

Denise Thornton of Sequim deadheads roses on a flower display at the… Continue reading

Electric rates see big increase

Jefferson proposal approved for 4-year hike

Clallam Transit to receive $4M in grants

Agency to use funds on Strait Shot and other routes

Port Angeles council OKs sidewalk near park

Applicants to receive grant funding for one-third of total cost

Peninsula College to continue without budget

Board expects plan in September

An Olympic marmot stands as the star of the show at Hurricane Ridge on Monday. These tourists from Alaska stopped and photographed the creature from a distance as he slowly ate his meal of wildflowers. The marmot is a rodent in the squirrel family and is unique to Washington state. The hibernating mammal’s burrow is only about 50 feet up the paved path away from the parking lot. The group had just photographed deer at the Ridge. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Olympic marmot

An Olympic marmot stands as the star of the show at Hurricane… Continue reading

Eighth-graders Saydey Cronin and Madelyn Bower stand by a gazebo they and 58 other students helped to build through their Sequim Middle School Core Plus Instruction industrial arts class. The friends were two of a handful of girls to participate in the building classes. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Middle school students build gazebo for academy

Businesses support project with supplies, flooring and tools

Frank Nicholson and David Martel.
Veterans in Warrior Bike program to pass through Peninsula towns

Community asked to welcome, provide lodging this summer

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County Sheriff Brian King, right, accompanied by Lt. Jim Thompson of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Police on a leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run on the Olympic Discovery Trail at Port Angeles City Pier. Tuesday’s segment of the run, conducted mostly by area law enforcement agencies, was organized to support Special Olympics Washington and was to culminate with a community celebration at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Carrying the torch

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County… Continue reading

Hopefuls for Olympic Medical Center board debate

Talk focuses on funds, partnership

An encapsulated engineered coupler used to repair a January leak. The leak occurred along a similar welded joint near to the current leak. (City of Port Townsend)
Port Townsend considers emergency repair for pipeline

Temporary fix needs longer-term solution, officials say

Traffic to be stopped for new bridge girders

Work crews for the state Department of Transportation will unload… Continue reading