The sponsor banners on the fences at VFW Park look like what you see at any small-town ballpark: a business name, a logo, maybe a phone number. In Freedom, those signs are also tied to a loan. Under a Town license agreement, the net money raised from signs on Diamonds 2, 3 and 4 has to go back into the park, and that includes "debt payment for prior improvements, including, but not limited to a debt to Capital Credit Union."
The Town of Freedom owns VFW Park, but much of what you see inside it was paid for by the groups that use it. One club bought bleachers. A local company donated sewer work. Sign money is earmarked for debt. In September, the Town Board voted to act as guarantor on a Freedom Baseball Club loan application. Together, those pieces show how the diamonds off Hwy 55 actually get built.
The Town Owns the Park, and the Clubs Sell the Signs
The Outdoor Advertising License Agreement names the Town of Freedom as licensor. The licensees are the Freedom Athletic Association and the Freedom Baseball Club. It covers every sign location on VFW Park Diamonds 2, 3 and 4, which the agreement describes as part of a park "owned, controlled and operated by the licensor." According to the agreement, its purpose is to raise money for softball and baseball "within the Town that benefit the entire community."
The fences are still public property, so the rules are strict. The agreement spells out what a sign can't say:
All signage shall be non-discriminatory and include no profanity, personal attacks, or political statements or advocacy, or make any statements that violate state or federal non-discriminatory laws or regulations, as the area licensed remains the property of the licensor, a governmental entity.
When a business owner gets a letter asking them to sponsor a sign, the letter has to carry a disclaimer saying the request "is from a private organization, as a license holder and not the Town of Freedom." The clubs also have to report to the Town every year. By September 15, they owe the Town a report of all sign receipts plus records of how they spent the money during the calendar year.
The license limits what the money can be spent on. Net proceeds, after only the cost of making and installing signs, have to go to VFW Park improvements that "focus on safety, playability and accessibility of the VFW park for all users." At its March 4, 2026 meeting, the Park Committee recommended changing the license to a three-year term and adding Diamond 1. That was a recommendation. The records reviewed don't show the Town Board giving final approval.
A Ballpark Paid For in Pieces
The sign revenue is just one source. Town records from the last year show several groups paying for different parts of the park.
| What | Who paid or is paying | Status in Town records |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier VFW Park improvements | Sign revenue, which the license allows to go toward a Capital Credit Union debt | Written into the advertising license, March 2026 packet |
| Large bleachers for the Diamond 1 project | The Fast Pitch Club | Delivery scheduled for the last week of August 2025 |
| Replacing the failed clay sewer lateral from the bathrooms | A local company, through what the committee called a "very generous donation" | Directional boring planned in late summer 2025 |
| Lions Park master plan in 2027 | Freedom Lions Club, with a $25,000 donation under discussion | Agreement being drafted with the Town Attorney |
| A Freedom Baseball Club loan application | The club, with the Town as guarantor | Approved September 23, 2026; amount and purpose not stated |
The Diamond 1 update in the Park Committee's August 6, 2025 minutes, published in its September 3 packet, shows how this works in practice. The project was stuck waiting for a concrete company to pour the path and dugout floors. The fence was scheduled for the week of the 18th, and the target for substantial completion was the end of August. At the same meeting, members discussed a "Friends of the Park" program. It would collect donations of any size to pay for smaller items that rarely get a sponsor of their own, such as trash can enclosures or dog waste bag stations, and donors would be recognized on one large sign.
A regional visitor listing for VFW Memorial Park describes four softball diamonds, a hardball diamond, a pavilion, and two buildings that each combine a shelter and a concession stand. The Town's rental page lists four regulation-size baseball and softball diamonds that can be booked for games, practices, tournaments and special events. Many of the features on those fields came from a club, a donor, or the sign program rather than the general park budget.
What the Town Board Approved on September 23
Last month the partnership got bigger. The Park Committee's September 16 meeting set up most of it. Members recommended that the Town Board approve a revised Freedom Athletic Association contract "with the recommended changes." They also recommended an updated outdoor signage agreement that adds the Freedom Fastpitch Club and updates designated fields. A week later, the September 23 Town Board packet records three park votes in a row, each passing 5 to 0:
- Approval of a VFW Asset Transfer and Lease Agreement, with the Town Administrator authorized to sign.
- Direction for the Town Administrator to work with the Town Attorney to finish a Freedom Lions Club donation agreement for Lions Park.
- Approval for the Town to serve as guarantor and beneficial owner on the Freedom Baseball Club's loan application, with the Town Administrator as the official signer.
Under the sign license, the Town's role in club debt was to require annual reports on receipts and spending. With the guarantor vote, the Town is putting its own name on a club loan application. The Board minutes don't give the loan amount, the lender's terms, or the purpose of the application. Earlier Town records offer some context. In March, the Town Administrator reported meeting with the Freedom Baseball Club about its current loan and whether it could be included in future Town borrowing to lower interest costs, with the club continuing to make the principal and interest payments. A July report mentions a meeting with the club and bank representatives about possibly refinancing the club's loan. The records don't say whether the September application is that refinancing. The minutes also don't say which assets the VFW transfer covers or what the lease includes. The Town's rental page lists a VFW Hall "on Hwy 55 at the ballpark entrance" as one of three Town rental spaces.
The Lions vote also needs a careful reading. An August 5 staff summary describes a possible $25,000 Freedom Lions Club donation toward a Lions Park master plan in 2027. Staff recommended accepting it only if it came "without limitations that would drastically impact the town financially." The September vote sent the agreement to the attorney. It did not formally accept the money. A June draft of the parks capital plan includes Lions Park ideas such as a $500,000 splash pad, a $250,000 shelter, and a $500,000 parking lot. These are draft planning numbers, not funded projects.
The Drainage Study Will Shape the Next Project
The biggest open question at VFW Park this fall is drainage. As of the September 16 staff update, the Town's engineers at MSA had received the last information they needed in late August. They were finishing their modeling and analysis, with a firm deadline to report to the Park Committee at its October 7 meeting. The October 7 agenda lists updates on the park drainage study, the CIP and budget, and diamond resurfacing, plus a discussion of the YMCA Greater Needs Survey. Minutes from that meeting haven't been posted yet. When they are, they should show whether resurfacing comes next and what drainage work, if any, has to happen first. Budget season matters here too. Staff told the committee in September it would get a draft overview of how the 2027 budget and CIP affect park line items.
Smaller things are getting the same attention. In September, the committee recommended replacing a damaged park bench with one that meets the Town's new standards. It also recommended the Town Board approve a library donation. Staff confirmed that one memorial bench sits on the walking trail next to Diamond 1.
Six Days Left on the Pavilion, Then Fall Fest Across Town
The VFW Park Pavilion, which sits among the ball diamonds near the concession stand, can be rented "May 15 through October 15 only." That leaves six days in this year's rental season, ending Thursday, October 15. The Town Hall and VFW Hall can still be rented after that, and the Town's rental facilities page explains how. The Town Hall itself is "behind Leap In & Home Tavern, across from St. Nicholas Cemetery." The Park Committee meets there, which makes it the place to follow the decisions above. Home Tavern at N4106 County Rd E opens at 11 a.m. Friday through Sunday and at 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and the kitchen closes at 9 p.m.
Three days after the pavilion season ends, St. Nicholas Parish holds its Family Fall Fest on Sunday, October 18, 2026. The parish lists kids' games, a bounce house, bingo, a craft raffle, food and live music. Homemade holiday cookies and candies for the bake sale can be dropped off at St. Therese Hall the weekend of the event. New this year is a Fall Fest Pickleball Tournament with a Beginner Division and an Experienced Division. It costs $10 per team, with double-elimination play and rally scoring to 11.
Once the drainage report and the resurfacing plan are posted, the Park Committee's next agenda at the Town Hall on County Road S will show which diamond gets the next round of work and who is paying for it.
If you're weighing a home near VFW Park or anywhere in the Town of Freedom and want to know how projects like these could affect the area, the team at CENTURY 21 Ace Realty follows these Town meetings and is happy to go through what's on the agenda with you. Contact Us whenever you're ready to talk.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
