Tenino City Park ball fields getting a makeover

Tenino City Park ball fields, home of Tenino Youth Baseball and Larch Mountain Little League, is the midst of a more than $500,000 renovation.  

The renovation is the first for the park since 1992, and will bring improvements to field number two, a dugout refurbishment, fencing repairs, new bleachers, as well as make the hardscapes Americans with Disabilities Actaccessible.

A new drainage system will also be installed to fix the issues with the current system. The project is expected to be completed in June 2026. 

While the City of Tenino currently offers a free Sandlot League in the summer, renovations could allow for additional tournaments and added softball space. 

The project, which is funded through a Community Outdoor Athletic Facility Grant, will cost $589,700. 

 Tenino PARC Specialist Jessica Reeves-Rush said when she took her position with the city, she knew she wanted to help find funding for projects like the renvovation.

“I really started pursuing grants,” Reeves-Rush said. “It was a need, and I went out to try to find the funding for it.”  

The grant is geared toward improving small towns, Reeves-Rush said. With the help of Thurston County Outdoor Grants Manager Lan Nicolai, the city was able to receive get grant, and officially started the project on March 1.  

“I helped to guide Tenino through the application process, fine tune their scope, and just kind of get them through,” Nicolai said.  

Reeves-Rush said in the past, it was more difficult for small towns to qualify for grants and funding because of the amount of planning that is involved.

“Getting the grant is just a matter of having a solid plan, having a story to tell, and putting in a solid pitch” she said.