By Greg Bintz, Zach Glander, Jared Valleskey and William Soquet
Major work was recently completed at King Park, where the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix softball team plays. The venue debuted in 2021 and has been a premier Horizon League softball facility. Because Green Bay hosted the 2023 Horizon League Championships, King Park held its first major conference tournament this past May. The ballpark also hosted a WIAA State softball tournament.
“[The purpose of installing the parking lot was to] ensure there was a lot that reflected the quality of the facility and to ensure there was the ability to not have drainage issues during wet spring weather,” said Director of Athletics Josh Moon. “It also helps enhance one of the first entry points to campus and makes the facility look better.”
King Park wasn’t completed overnight. Upon installation of the turf, press box, and batting cages/netting system, there were still a few key pieces of a ballpark missing, including lights and a parking lot. Lights were eventually installed during the 2021 season, and nearly six weeks ago, an asphalt parking lot was finished. Up until then, the ‘parking lot’ was all gravel, making for a mess in Wisconsin springs. Upon the lot’s completion, nearly 50 new parking stalls were added, according to Moon.
“The only hitch was that the campus needed to first install the new water mains through the dorms on Walter Way before the new paving work could begin,” said Eddie Warczak, Assistant Director of Facilities. “That was the “delay” that resulted in a start date of late July/August. The Softball Lot is still waiting on delivery of light poles and heads, which are in short supply and have long lead times. Otherwise, the project is complete.”
“Our supporters and fans no longer need to worry about the weather impacting their cars getting in and out of the mud,” said Assistant Softball Coach Mary Bean. “It has also made our field more accessible to those who are in wheelchairs and struggle to get through gravel parking lots, especially in inclement weather.”
The terrain was less than ideal for smaller vehicles and caused organization problems when the unmarked lot filled to near capacity for more well-attended games. Additionally, through no fault of its own, the stadium is utilized in spring and located at the bottom of a large ridge to the east. Often, melted snow and rain would puddle in the parking lot, turning the gravel into a de facto swamp. This created serious accessibility issues for all types of people attending the games. Fans with disabilities had no safe way to access the concrete pad that encircles the stadium. Busses carrying opposing teams were unable to navigate the parking lot, meaning that players and coaches had to spend considerable time and effort simply hauling their gear and equipment to the dugout.
With the parking shortage capturing attention across campus, some may see another parking lot as a welcome reprieve for students. Unfortunately, this is not so. King Park is located on the far east side of campus, a considerable distance away from most places. It is roughly a five or seven-minute walk to the Kress Center from the lot, 12 minutes to the nearest dorms, and 14 minutes to the University Union. (Distance)
Despite that, the paving of the parking lot remains both a practical and symbolic advancement for the Phoenix softball team, hoping to usher in a smoother era of success in the future.
“The new parking lot is a valuable component to the visual aesthetics of the field,” continued Bean. “When hosting major events such as the Horizon League Tournament or hosting high school games, our field has the qualities of a Division I athletics program. This can appeal to more recruits and future students of UW-Green Bay.”
“King Park is a premier softball stadium – with the full-turf field and lights, it provides for flexibility in playing games during the difficult Wisconsin spring weather,” said Moon.
