Though the Hall County Board of Commissioners has halted work on Cool Springs Park, baseball fields may still be a possibility for the northwest Hall property.

Commissioner Billy Powell, who represents the area where the park was slated, asked the board to consider a compromise that would allow for one component of the planned park to continue.

"There is a severe shortage of little league baseball fields," Powell said.

"It's got to be grassed anyway. At least that way the children would have an extra three fields to split their baseball practice and playing facilities in."

At Thursday's board meeting, the other commissioners agreed to explore the costs and asked county staff to research options and present the results in four weeks.

Hall County Parks and Leisure Services Director Greg Walker said ballfields certainly would be feasible.

"It's not a deviation from what was originally planned out there," Walker said. "It's strictly a funding issue."

Walker said he likely will research a few options to present to the commissioners.

The tournament quality fields the county has built in the past cost about $240,000. But a practice field without lights would cost about $75,000, Walker said.

"That's one of the things I've got to look at - what calibre field," Walker said.

He said there are other costs to consider, like lighting, parking and concessions.

"Obviously the more you put into it the more it's going to cost," Walker said.

Walker said the northwestern portion of the county is in need of more ballfields.

"In that area of the county that (Powell) represents we do have the least amount of ballfields in any area of the county," Walker said.

"I'm sure the people of that community would embrace it. There's always, during ball season, a struggle for some of the schools out in that area of the county to have adequate practice time. They always complain that they don't have enough field space, so it would certainly help."

Commissioner Scott Gibbs, one of the commissioners who voted to stop construction of the park, said he would be interested in the baseball fields as a way to keep the property.

The Cool Springs Park land was given to Hall County during the zoning process of nearby Marina Bay subdivision. Included in the deed is a clause that says if Hall County does not develop the land into a park, it will be donated to another organization.

Gibbs said he doesn't think a park is needed in that area immediately but does believe there will be a need for the park in the future.

"I don't want to see the county lose the property," Gibbs said. "I just think we have too much of an investment at this point."

To date, $875,713 has been spent on design and construction work at Cool Springs. The original plan called for features like ballfields, walking trails and a skate park.