Williamsport City Council has approved a resolution for professional services agreement with BRIX Design Group for Journey Bank Park at Historic Bowman Field design of netting extension on the first and third base lines.

Spectators need to be protected, especially when individuals are on their cellphones and not paying attention to foul balls etc., council was told by city officials presenting the resolution.

The existing netting becomes brittle in winter and it can’t be taken down because it is too much of a laborious project to dismantle and reposition for spring ball. It only lasts for so many years being exposed to the elements, said Bill Scott, city engineer.

Now that the resolution was approved, the engineering design for the netting will be done by Christopher E. Keiser, director of architecture and engineering at BRIX Design Group, 215 E. Third St.

Keiser has over 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, site engineering, and planning.

The design costs $25,500 and will be paid for using part of the $750,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).

The netting costs upwards of between $100,000 and closer to $200,000, Scott said.

“We applied for the sports marketing and tourism grant with the DCED,” said Valerie Fessler, city director of community and economic development.

More improvements at the park where the Williamsport Crosscutters of the MLB Draft League have home games and Major League Baseball players play once a year in the Little League Classic also is planned.

There are problems with third base side bleachers, said Scott Livermore, general manager of the city public works department. “They are more prone to replacement on that side.”

Also, some cables are starting to show surface rust, Livermore said. “It is nothing unsafe but part of the upgrades that are planned.”