The Vancouver Metro Senior Softball Association (VMSSA) recently celebrated the rapid progress made on the new ballpark at Pacific Community Park in Vancouver. The field is currently being graded and prepared for irrigation installation. A backstop has been erected, and dugouts are under construction. The ballpark address is 1515 NE 164th Avenue. The entrance is on 172nd Avenue near 18th Street.
“We expect the field to be ready and open for play on opening day in May next year,” says John Aarhus, President of the VMSSA. “Next year will be VMSSA’s 21st season of play. Many of us have played in every one of those seasons, and to have a ballpark we can call home is an exciting prospect.”
At a recent ceremony, Maury Wilson spoke about the history of the league and early efforts to find a field. Nearly eighty percent of the money to build the field has come from ballplayers from VMSSA, the 65+ Delta Park League in Portland, and the 62+ Hood View Park League in Happy Valley. The field will bear the name of Sunlight Supply whose CEO Craig Hargreaves committed a major donation to build the field. Riverview Community Bank has also contributed a generous donation and their name will be prominent on the scoreboard. VMSSA has also received commitments for advertising on the fence from a number of local businesses.
VMSSA is a community resource that enhances the physical and mental health of older individuals, enriching their lives after a lifetime of work. The organization promotes and organizes a league of seniors, 60 years old and older, to play softball in Vancouver. VMSSA is a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization.
