As Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field approaches its 80th anniversary, the West Bend Baseball Association is undertaking a sweeping renovation to modernize the beloved ballpark for decades to come.

Once known simply as "City Field," the historic facility at Regner Park has been the heart of West Bend baseball since its earliest days. Now, after more than a decade of planning, setbacks, and community perseverance, a new chapter is underway.

The Vision Takes Shape

The renovation effort was first conceived in late 2011 by West Bend Baseball Association (WBBA) members Craig Larsen, Cathy Lawton, and Mike Staral. Originally envisioned as a broader modernization of multiple assets within Regner Park, the scope was refined by mid-2012 to focus exclusively on Carl M. Kuss Field. The goal was straightforward: restore the facility to a standard capable of hosting all levels of baseball while transforming it into a true multi-purpose community space.

Before moving forward, Larsen sought the blessing of Prudence Pick Hway, one of West Bend's most respected civic figures. The existing grandstand had been donated, relocated, and reassembled by the Pick family, making her support essential. Pick Hway not only gave her approval,  she became an active partner in the effort.

With community buy-in secured, the WBBA began working with local nonprofit leaders and grant writers to chart a path through the complex fundraising process. An early boost came from American Construction Services, owned by then-Mayor Kraig Sadownikow, which provided the project's first renderings free of charge.

A New Urgency

In early 2018, a decision by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association accelerated the project's timeline. The WIAA announced the end of its sponsored summer baseball season for West Bend East and West Bend West High Schools, shifting competition to the spring. The change exposed a significant shortage of fields capable of hosting games in March and April.

West Bend's athletic directors responded by applying to a national organization for support. In March 2018, that application was approved, unlocking $500,000 in matching funds. By June, then West Bend West Athletic Director Brian Heimark and then School Board President and future mayor Joel Ongert had secured a matching $100,000 commitment from the West Bend School District, mirroring a pledge already made by the City of West Bend Common Council.

Fundraising momentum continued to build. In November 2018, West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Foundation marked its 125th anniversary with a landmark $500,000 donation to the project. Within a matter of months, Larsen, Pick Hway, and business icon Jeff Szukalski had collectively secured $1.1 million, drawing from local foundations, businesses, and public entities in what became one of the first true public-private partnerships in the City of West Bend's history.

Years of Delays

Construction was expected to begin in December 2018 and wrap up by June 2019. It would not go that smoothly.

A deteriorating relationship with the national organization that had pledged matching funds cast a long shadow over the project through 2019 and into 2020. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, bringing new complications. For a time, it appeared the renovation might not happen at all.

The summer of 2020 brought a turning point. Sadownikow formally joined the WBBA and, together with Larsen, reimagined the project, opting for a hybrid playing surface, adjusting field dimensions, and redesigning the grandstand to bring the vision back within reach.

But in late September 2020, as WBBA leaders presented updated plans to the West Bend Common Council, news arrived that the organization's partnership with the national foundation had collapsed entirely. It was, by all accounts, a devastating blow.

Community Refuses to Quit

What followed was a testament to West Bend's civic character. Mike Staral returned to the effort, rejoining a core group that included Larsen, Pick Hway, Sadownikow, Szukalski, and then City Administrator Jay Shambeau. Together, they refused to let the project die.

A critical donation in early 2021, combined with the involvement of contractor Tim Horswill of H&H Civil Construction finally gave the project the footing it needed. On March 4, 2021, after nearly a decade of planning, the renovation of Carl M. Kuss Field officially broke ground.

Phase 1 was completed on schedule. On November 1, 2021, the keys were turned over to the City of West Bend and the West Bend Baseball Association.

First Pitch

After allowing time for the natural grass surface to establish, the field hosted its official dedication on May 26, 2022. The first game was played between West Bend East and West Bend West High Schools, a fitting tribute to the community effort that made it possible.

Work continues. In the fall of 2022, donations were secured to complete the field's lighting system in time for the upcoming season, bringing the renovation ever closer to its final form.

After eighty years and a decade of determined effort, Carl M. Kuss Field is ready for whatever the next eighty years may bring.

Work Continues

The renovation's momentum carried well into the years that followed. In fall 2022, donations were secured to fund the field's lighting system, and the West Bend Baseball Association received a generous contribution from Milwaukee Tool to erect nine flagpoles in left field, a permanent tribute to all branches of the United States Military and the nation's first responders.

A wet and cold spring delayed installation, but by July 2023 both the lighting system and the flagpole installation were complete. The field marked the occasion on July 7, 2023, when the Land O' Lakes Baseball League's Brookfield Blue Sox faced the West Bend Spirits in the first-ever night game at the renovated facility.

Progress continued off the field as well. In fall 2024, the WBBA secured funding for a state-of-the-art sound system, which was installed and ready for the 2025 WIAA spring high school season. Then, in fall 2025, the association secured the final round of funding needed to complete the remaining elements of the project, new dugouts, bullpens, a batting cage, finish fencing, and signage, all slated for installation in 2026.

When that final work is done, the West Bend Baseball Association will have seen every phase of the renovation through to completion, fulfilling a vision that was first sketched out more than a decade ago. At that point, the WBBA will formally return the fully modernized facility to the City of West Bend, a gift to the community built by the community, ready for the next generation of players, families, and fans for hopefully another 90 plus years.