Major renovations planned for Mount Vernon Softball Complex
Cornell College and the Mount Vernon Community School District are excited to announce a major renovation project for their shared softball complex.
Dave Van Metre, a Mount Vernon native and longtime benefactor for both Cornell College and the Mount Vernon Community School District, is donating all goods and services for the extensive $1.673 million renovation that will make the facility one of the premier softball complexes in the Midwest. Van Metre approached the two schools with his vision for the future of the softball programs and is excited to again support a significant project that benefits both the college and school district.
“The generosity and visionary thinking of Dave Van Metre and his late wife Carol know no bounds, and this is just the latest example of the commitment of the Van Metre family to the community of Mount Vernon,” shared Dr. Greg Batenhorst, Superintendent of the Mount Vernon Community School District. “This project will provide the student-athletes of both schools with an experience that is second to none. Once again, Dave has given the student-athletes and the Mount Vernon community an outstanding resource from which so many will benefit.”
“Dave just continues to do it all. He is always looking for those strategically important projects that will benefit as many people and as many organizations that he cares about as possible,” Cornell President Jonathan Brand said. “Our shared softball field checks every box and will take exceptionally strong softball programs and propel them even higher.”
The Athletic Directors at both institutions say they are extremely grateful to Dave Van Metre for this incredible gift.
“Cornell College Athletics is very fortunate to have a partnership with the Mount Vernon Community School District, and this project shows the strength of that partnership,” said Cornell Athletic Director Seth Wing. “We are excited for our softball programs to have a facility that reflects the championship caliber of play that both programs are putting on the field. Our athletic department is extremely thankful for Dave Van Metre and his family’s support.”
Mount Vernon High School Activities Director Matt Thede echoed what others have shared. “Dave’s generosity continues to amaze us,” he said. “This project allows us to grow our partnership with Cornell, and strengthen the softball and youth programs greatly as the athletes will be able to play on one of the premier fields in the Midwest. We are incredibly thankful and look forward to seeing this project come to completion over the next several months.”
The project will include the installation of a field turf playing surface, additional seating, a combined press box/concessions building, new lighting, sunken dugouts, new batting cages and bullpens, and many more upgrades. Not only will the student-athletes benefit, but the fans can look forward to a better fan experience at games. Full details regarding the scope of the project will be shared with the community in the near future.
Work will begin on the project in August 2020 and is anticipated to wrap up by the spring of 2021 for the start of Cornell’s softball season.
Cornell College and the Mount Vernon Community School District are again extremely grateful to Dave and Carol Van Metre for their support of their programs. They are also grateful for the hard work and support of those Mount Vernon community members who constructed the facility in 2009 that both schools have had the opportunity to use over the past decade, plus.
