Volunteers, Conneaut Valley Little League breathes new life into Lynn Summers Complex

LINESVILLE — Vandalized, overgrown in places and out of service, the Lynn Summers Complex in Linesville is in need of some tender love and care.

That’s just what’s in store for the facility about three miles west of Linesville.

The Lynn Summers Complex saw plenty of action in its heyday, but it’s since fallen on tough times. Enter: Ed Williamson, Dan Hruska and the help of numerous volunteers.

Williamson is a Conneaut School Board member, a staunch supporter of athletics and new member of the Conneaut Valley Little League board. Hruska grew up playing baseball at the complex and is the current president of the Conneaut Valley Little League. Both want to see the Lynn Summers Complex brought back to life.

The complex was property of Linesville Little League, but when the elementary school in Linesville closed, Linesville Little League lost its charter. It gave the complex to Conneaut School District, who did nothing with it, according to Williamson.

The school district officially gave the complex to Conneaut Valley Little League for $1 about two months ago.

“Linesville Little League sold it to the school for $1, so they gave it back to us for $1,” Hruska said. “That was kind of in the deed to keep it as a community resource.”

The complex hasn’t been used in any official capacity in about 15 years. That should change by spring, Williamson hopes.

Before the complex opens, there is a lot of work to do.

A building with concessions and restrooms on the bottom floor with room for a press box on the second floor was broken into and vandalized. A second building with plenty of space upstairs for a press box was also vandalized. Both buildings will be refurbished.

“We cleaned one of the buildings up pretty good already,” Williamson said. “They’d announce games from up here with a full view of the fields. Just a beautiful facility.”

“The bones are still here,” Hruska added. “We just have to clean it up.”

There are currently five fields, but plans include shrinking the two larger fields to 200 feet to make room for another Little League field and more parking. The large batting cage will likely be cut in half allowing for four different turfed cages.

Williamson is hopeful the concession stand is just one part of the complex that helps it stand out.

“We had a bunch of stuff donated by Country Fair. When this concession stand is going, I bet it’s one of the best concession stands around,” Williamson said. “A cappuccino machine, snow cones, hot dog rollers, all kinds of stuff.”

Since taking control of the complex, volunteers have been mowing the property, cleaning up the buildings and preparing other aspects of the complex.

“One of the nicest parts of this whole thing is the people that originally built all this are retired now and they want to see it come back to life,” Hruska said. “They’re helping in multiple ways. The connection to Country Fair was a big one. There was nothing in here and they fully outfitted it.”

Now, Hruska and Williamson hope to add more volunteers and sponsors. It’s a big undertaking, but the pair has high hopes for the complex.

“Hruska has grown the Conneaut Valley Little League program exponentially so far. The hope is we will get even more now with these fields plus our Springboro Fields,” Williamson said. “If parents have two boys playing, two girls playing, they can come to one place and see everyone play. It will take a lot of volunteers and a lot of fundraising to get it back to the heyday, but we are confident that’s going to happen.

“I think we could make this a good attraction for travel ball tournaments too. Indoor bathrooms, concessions, nice fields and dugouts. It could bring people to our area and it would be good for local businesses.”

There is a lot of work left and the pair is hopeful to get more volunteers. Even early on in the process, people are noticing what’s happening at the Lynn Summers Complex.

“It’s so exciting what Hruska is undertaking. He’s making it important and breathing life into something he believes in for the kids in his community,” said Brandon Crum, Allegheny College baseball head coach and longtime supporter of local athletics. “Crawford County baseball and softball is on the uprise.”