Havre is lucky to have Optimist Park

Playing Little League baseball is one of the great pastimes of growing up in America. Baseball may not be the hip sport across the country or the world right now, but if you have driven around Havre at all in the past month, you've probably noticed kids playing baseball. And one of the places where they get a chance to play Little League baseball and softball is at Optimist Park.

Optimist Park has existed in Havre at Boulevard Avenue and 9th Street West for decades and if you have raised a family in these parts, there is a good chance that, at some point, you have taken them to Optimist Park. Maybe it was for a Little League game or maybe it was just to play on the jungle gym, but one of the things that makes the park unique is the fact that it's about much more than baseball.

"It's a great park," Brittney Delarosa, who was the president of the Havre Youth Baseball Association from 2006-2014 said. "It's great for playing baseball. And there are two fields, so the boys and girls don't have to share a field, but it's great because like today (Saturday) after the game is over, we are going to have a party for the boys right here in the park. There are benches, there are swings, and there are places to play. So it's just a great place to bring your family."

Indeed Optimist Park is a place for the whole family and in addition to two baseball fields, it has a basketball court, playground equipment, swings and a big area that is perfect for picnicking. Another feature of the park is the spot above for drive-in parking.

Much like at Blue Pony Stadium, where fans can drive their cars in park and watch the game, parents can do the same thing at Optimist. Of course many of the parents prefer to sit in the outfield during the game, but if they want parents can enjoy the action from the comfort of their own air-controlled vehicles.

"It's a really cool place," said Danny Lassle, who has a son playing Little League baseball. "It's great for the kids because there is lots of room to do other things like play catch or throw a frisbee. I am helping coach my son's team, so I am usually busy during the games, but it's great how you can sit in your car or out in the outfield to watch a game. And the park is in great shape, I remember growing up in Glendive and the fields we played in had gopher hole's and stuff like that. But, the parks here are really well taken care of, the kids are lucky to have them."

Lassle makes the point that the kids are lucky to have such nice facilities, which is true. Havre's youth baseball facilities have always been top-notch and just last season Havre hosted a number of All-Star state tournaments. But more important, having facilities available gives kids like Lassle's 9-year-old Bodhi Lassle a chance to get outside and experience the game of baseball.

"It gets you out of the house and off the couch," Lassle said of playing baseball. "It's a way that you can meet new friends and have fun."

It's safe to say that Havre is fortunate to have parks like Optimist around and it's always an important reason to keep them in such good condition. One look at Optimist and it's easy to see that it's been well-maintained and within the last decade, one of the fields was just re-dug.

Throughout the spring and summer, Optimist is a busy place, hosting games for T-ball, rookie league games and softball. That means a bevy of youngsters ranging from ages 5 to 8 are making childhood memories that will stick with them forever.

But even if it's not about baseball, Optimist is a great place to take a family and has even be used as an incentive day for schools nearby like the Havre Middle School. It has a lot of great things to offer and Havre should be thankful again for its presence.

"I think, overall, Havre does a great job with all of our parks," Delarosa said. "I have travelled all across the state because my son is in All-Stars, and I can tell you that Havre has the nicest parks by far that I have seen."