Canfield plans privately-funded sports complex

Staff report

CANFIELD

The Canfield Athletic Boosters Inc., in conjunction with the High School Diamond Backers and Softball Boosters, are joining forces to raise funds for construction of an indoor training complex at Canfield High School.

The complex, to be named The James and Coralie Centofanti Sports Complex in honor of James and Coralie Centofanti, will be constructed with private funds and will be located between the baseball and softball fields on the high-school campus. The budget for the project is $150,000, and project committee members include Chairman Mark Luchansky, Anthony Vross, Dave Dastoli, baseball coach Matt Koenig and softball coach Ray Melewski.

“The fundraising campaign has been successful thus far, thanks to the generosity of The James and Coralie Centofanti Charitable Foundation, Canfield Rotary, J. Ford Crandall Foundation, Simon Roofing, York Mahoning, Tudor Physical Therapy Centers, Bob and Chuck Eddy families, Stephen Berry and numerous individuals and businesses,” Luchansky said.

Donations are being accepted through any of the committee members or can be mailed to Canfield Athletic Boosters, Inc., P.O. Box 54, Canfield, OH 44406. The Canfield Athletic Boosters Inc. is a registered public charity through the Internal Revenue Service.

The complex will be heated with a donation from the Mike and Ron Fagert Families of York Mahoning. Usable field space will be 80 feet by 48 feet and will include two full-length batting cages and two movable pitching mounds. In addition, cage nets will slide to allow for infield practice to take place.

Berry, Architectural Design Inc. of Boardman is completing the architectural design through an in-kind contribution. Construction is slated for this spring.

“The Canfield community has really come through on this project,” Luchansky said. “I am receiving calls weekly from individuals and businesses asking how they can help. In fact, I just received a call from Ed Keating, who would like to donate protective pitching screens that his company has designed and constructed. It is this type of response that makes Canfield such a great place to raise a family.”