Photo: Officials participate in the groundbreaking for the second phase of the Renasant Park improvement project, which involves the construction of four diamonds for baseball, softball and T-ball. All four diamonds will have artificial infield surfaces. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Jan. 22, 2025-The second phase of improvements for Renasant Park in Hernando is officially underway after a groundbreaking ceremony late Wednesday morning. The ceremony celebrates the beginning of construction for four diamonds with artificial infield surfaces that will be used for baseball, softball, and T-ball.
This phase of the $6.5 million project will also include a new concession and restroom building. Funding for the project comes from a general obligation bond approved by the Hernando Board of Aldermen. A similar groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier in January for a pavilion with education and entertainment space, a multi-purpose event lawn with a surrounding infinity trail, an 18-hole disc golf course, a 3.5 acre native grass and wildflower meadow, and infrastructure improvements for parking, sidewalks, and road improvements.
Total cost of the improvements is $9.2 million, which Mayor Chip Johnson said makes it the city’s largest parks investment ever.
“This phase of the project will be something Hernando has never seen before and stands as a landmark to the investment that the board has made to the quality of life for our residents,” added city parks director Jared Barkley. “This is going to have a lasting impact on Hernando for generations and we’re excited to see it come about.”
Mayor Chip Johnson describes Phase Two of the Renasant Park improvements. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Nickson General Contractors of Memphis will be building the sports fields, which will be named the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts Baseball and Softball Fields at Renasant Park, with the performing arts center at Northwest Mississippi Community College being the naming rights sponsor.
“We had a pre-construction meeting last week and we are fully confident that they are going to get the project done on time, if not sooner, and at a high quality,” Johnson said.
The mayor gave a quick history lesson, starting with the origination of the Civic Center fields to give Hernando youngsters a place to play ball. The clubs that came together for the facility eventually decided to turn it over to the City of Hernando.
“Last year, we decided it was time for us to purchase those ball fields and look at putting some money into them,” Johnson said. “But we decided it would be best just to go ahead and build new fields at Renasant Park, so we would never lose a day of playing baseball, softball or T-ball.”
Johnson pointed out games will continue to be played at the Civic Center diamonds while the Renasant Parks fields are being built. The future for the Civic Center facility will be looked at once the Renasant Park fields are completed.
