For the hundreds of softball and baseball players who play on the fields at Halls Ferry Park and Bazinsky Field  Christmas week came with a big gift.

That gift comes with a price tag in excess of $700,000, but it is worth every penny.

Over the past year, I have been among those who have strongly criticized the city for the condition of the parking lots and lights at the Halls Ferry and Bazinsky complexes.

These fields, during a normal youth softball, high school softball and baseball seasons, play host to thousands of players, coaches and fans. And, over the past years, the condition of the complexes — the parking lots in particular — have been far from welcoming.

The money allocated to the parking lot work is part of a $9.2 million capital improvements bond issue that was approved by city leadership in August 2015.

As practices for these youth and high school teams and leagues are just weeks from starting, it is the hope of many — including this softball parent — that the parking lot and lighting work is completed in time for the seasons. It would be a shame for one more visitor — one more visiting team — to see the condition of these facilities in their current state.

For quite some time, the idea of a new sports complex has been discussed, debated and planned. No one can remember just exactly when the discussion of a new sports complex first started, but many joke the conversation has stretched across generations of Vicksburg residents and politicians.

Maybe such a project will become reality at some point.

But in the meantime, it is important that we continue to invest in the facilities we do have, the facilities on which our children play and thousands of visitors see each and every year.

Over the past year, as our daughter has played tournament softball, I have had the chance to see a number of sports complexes in the region, and Vicksburg has a long way to go by comparison. That is why the idea of a new sports complex is so intriguing and, in my opinion, so important to Vicksburg’s future and Vicksburg’s economy.

The facilities at Bazinsky Park and Halls Ferry have provided years of service to the Vicksburg sports community and they will be needed for just a bit longer as the details of a new sports complex are hashed out and plans to pay for the complex are approved.

I am not sure just how many children in Vicksburg are excited about receiving a new parking lot, striping and lights for Christmas, but I know many parents, coaches and visitors are thrilled with what Santa brought.

Tim Reeves is publisher of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com.