Fundraising For Big Horn Indoor Facility Progressing

Residents in and near the town of Big Horn could soon have an indoor recreation area of their own, plus youngsters would have a place to learn, away from those in higher grades.

The Big Horn Baseball Club says it has raised about 71% of the $6.5 million plus goal to build an Indoor Recreation and Early Learning Center.

The 33-thousand square foot dual use facility would be located behind the Big Horn High School football field press box.

Design plans include basketball and volleyball courts, walking tracks, fitness and weight rooms, an indoor turf area and a community hub.

It’s also going to have four designated classrooms designed specifically for pre-school programs.

Currently pre-schoolers in the town of Big Horn area are being taught in repurposed rooms inside Big Horn Elementary and Middle Schools, which the schools may need to use sometime in the future.

Kendra Barney is the Early Childhood Coordinator for Sheridan County School District #1.

She says in terms of both general activities and pre-school education, space is running out for both of those programs and that’s where the new facility comes in.

“There is just not a designated space for these overall activities that are happening and all of our kids are having to go travel into District 2 and we really are struggling to find gym spaces and keeping them engaged in activities within a time limit from 4 to 6. They’re having to spend time practicing from 7 to 9 at different places and that’s just not very healthy for them, so it kind of came about that there was just a need in Big Horn for these sort of activities that kids are participating in.”

The Big Horn Baseball Club has been leading the fundraising efforts, but once the new facility is completed, it will be turned over to the Sheridan County School District #1 Recreation District.

Organizers say they anticipate breaking ground sometime in either the winter or spring of next year, and have the facility completed sometime in 2027.

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