The Colusa City Council last week set aside 25 acres of land southwest of Will S. Green Road for a future recreational facility.
The possible sports complex for baseball and soccer might be built on a small portion of land carved from the 600 acres of property, owned by the city’s utilities division for discharging treated wastewater for irrigation purposes.
The land, west of the wastewater treatment plant, was purchased with a grant to set the city up for a larger wastewater system that could be needed in 50 or 60 years, said City Manager Jesse Cain.
“There are no projects planned out there,” Cain said. “There is nothing planned at this time. This is just dedicating or setting aside 25 acres until we can find some grants for recreational activities out there.”
Colusa officials have talked in the past about building a sports complex in that area, and community members have recently been looking to partner with a public agency on a sports complex similar to the ball fields, playground, and concession stand built at Maxwell High School.
The Maxwell fields were funded by community donations and Proposition 40, the Water, Clean Air and Safe Parks bond, approved by voters in 2002.
Cain said it would likely take a combination of grant funding and community involvement to see a Colusa sports complex come to fruition.
“There has been talk in the community on how they would help and get volunteers to help build the facility,” Cain said. “Right now, I have no idea on costs or what type of gants may be used.”
Cain said identifying a location for a recreation facility is just the first step to allow the city time to create a plan.
Officials said the benefit of having a sports complex in that area is the availability of using reclaimed water for irrigation.
The City voted 5-0 on March 16 to enter into a land use agreement (lease) with the utilities division for the property. ■