Maidu outfield vandalism will cost $167K to repair

After vandals annihilated a Maidu Park softball field in Roseville late last year, city officials announced this week it will cost $167,000 to fix. Authorities said in November and December, culprits drove trucks around Maidu Field #4 "doing donuts." The outfield by the Maidu Library was significantly vandalized during multiple incidents of trucks on the saturated diamond after storm events. The runaway vandalism caused extensive damage, including deep ruts and the loss of large sections of turf, staff said. One suspect was apprehended by Roseville Police in connection with two of the incidents, and the case has been sent to the Placer County District Attorney, staff said. The extent of the damage, however, rendered the field unsafe and unplayable for permitted use, officials said. "Maidu Field #4 is regularly used by a variety of internal and external groups, and the loss of this field has had a considerable impact," said Roseville Parks Manager Brian Castelluccio in his report to the City Council this week. All Roseville athletic fields are spoken for, leaving no alternative locations to accommodate the displaced users, he said. The fields also generate revenue through rentals, youth leagues and tournaments. Maidu hosts a mix of youth baseball, girls softball tournaments and adult softball leagues. Key users include Maidu Little League, USA Softball Western Nationals, Senior Softball USA and Roseville adult leagues. "Given these factors, it was critical to proceed with repairs as quickly as possible to minimize disruption to user groups and to ensure installation of new sod during the optimal growing season, prior to rising temperatures," said the parks manager. While City Manager Dominick Casey already signed off on the deal due to the emergency, the Roseville City Council was scheduled to formally approve the $167,790 contract with Bluegrass Company on Wednesday after press time. Funding will come from the Parks, Recreation & Libraries 2025-26 operating budget in the General Fund, Director Jill Geller said in the report.