Indoor Facility FAQ
CPLL Families.
For at least the past 10 years it has been a vision of the Cranbury-Plainsboro Little League to build an indoor facility for our kids. This vision has seen three different presidents (I'm #4) come and go. Many countless hours and work have been spent on it. Finally, it looks like it will actually happen. Many of you have been asking me questions about it, so I thought I would share some of them with all of you:
Why do we want an indoor facility?
It has been a long time goal of the league to enhance the little league experience. We recognized a long time ago that with more individual instruction and by lengthening the season to which we play, can not only help, but enhance the experience. As of now, we rarely can get on the fields before April 1st due to township restrictions. With an indoor facility, we will be able to start sooner. We will also be able to practice during times of inclement weather. This could lengthen our ability to practice all the way through the end of fall ball in November and beyond. The goal of which has always been to strengthen baseball fundamentals.
How will we pay for it?
The league is actively pursuing different avenues to pay for this. The first is through a raffle in which all CPLL families will participate. This fundraiser will take place yearly and all proceeds will go to the indoor facility. The second is seeking out donations and grants through different businesses. We hope that our business community will take an active role in this endeavor. Lastly, we will seek financing to be able to take advantage of the low cost of borrowing.
Where will it go?
We are expecting that the facility will go in Community Park in Plainsboro. We are working with the town to finalize a location for it. The plan is that it will not take away any space that is currently being used. Much work needs to be done. We will call on you to help us put this together.
Who will be able to use it?
If you have a child registered with CPLL, the facility will be available to your child's team. We expect to hold clinics and lessons between playing seasons, so that the kids not only maintain their skills, but enhance them. These clinics will be open to the entire league.
Why a raffle?
Many other organizations charge a compulsory fundraiser. Our hope was to create something that would potentially not cost anything to the family. If the family chose to buy the raffle tickets, they could. However, they could recover all of their investment if they chose to sell them. Raffles are a fun and inexpensive way for our league to provide some excitement and create awareness of our project.
How can I help?
As the project gets going, we will be seeking out the expertise of members of our community to help with the construction of the facility. We have already been fortunate to have an architect from our community help us with the plans. We will be asking you what special skills you have that can be of use in our endeavor.
I hope this answers any questions you may have. If not, feel free to email me at president@cpll.org.
Sincerely,
Tim Lockwood
President - Cranbury-Plainsboro Little League