From Near Closure to Renewal, North Rialto Little League Unveils $1.6M Snack Bar

Just a few years after facing possible city management or closure, North Rialto Little League celebrated a major turnaround Saturday, Sept. 12, unveiling a new snack bar and restroom building at Birdsall Park in time for the start of winter ball season.

Players, league board members, families and elected officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of the long-awaited building.

The celebration reflected both the league’s resurgence and broader park improvement efforts underway in Rialto.

When several board members, including the league president and treasurer, left their positions in 2021, North Rialto Little League faced the possibility of being placed under city management or shutting down.

League President Gilbert Martinez said his son, Jacob Martinez, recruited him to step into the leadership role.

“I did 33 years with the LA County Sheriff’s Department, and I figured it was going to be a breeze,” Martinez said with a laugh. “Five years later, we’re still doing it.”

After becoming league president, Martinez said he was surprised by the deteriorated condition of the existing snack bar. He reached out to San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., invited him to tour the park and shared concerns raised by league parents.

“I remember when I was a kid, I spent 12 years in foster homes,” Martinez said. “And when I was going to Catholic school, they taught me about helping out and doing extra beyond what you can normally do. If there’s a problem, start out by doing something. Maybe I can’t fix everything, but I can help out.”

That help eventually came in the form of $1.6 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated in 2023 to finance the project.

Baca said the funding represented a long-term investment in Rialto youth and the broader community.

“Youth leagues don’t have big budgets. It’s basically all volunteers and fundraising,” Baca said. “The snack bar that is here today will be here for generations to come. The investment we make will last beyond our time here.”

Additional support came during the ribbon-cutting ceremony when Rialto Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott presented North Rialto Little League with a $2,000 check to purchase “some grub” for the new snack bar. Rialto Mayor Joe Baca Sr. agreed to match the contribution.

Rialto Councilmember Andy Carrizales contributed another $1,000 for supplies and other necessities. Later, Carrizales and Scott briefly stepped behind the counter to help with snack bar duties.

The new prefabricated structure is ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible and includes air conditioning, upgraded kitchen equipment and a restroom inside the snack bar for player use. Additional restrooms, including a family restroom with a changing station, are located outside.

Built in 1952, the original snack bar had suffered from years of problems, including leaks, flooding, insects and a lack of air conditioning.

“The old snack bar had been here since the 1950s. It was in terrible condition. It leaked, had no air conditioning. It was awful,” Scott said.

North Rialto Little League board member and volunteer Mary Martinez said volunteers regularly dealt with uncomfortable conditions inside the old building.

“We used to be in here in the heat and the cold with the flies and the mosquitoes,” Martinez said. “We had old fans everywhere, and it was hard to stay cool, so this is wonderful!”

Board member Amber Aldape said the upgraded kitchen also allows the league to expand its concessions menu.

“The kids have been asking for a slushy machine, so they’re super excited for that — that’s their favorite upgrade!” Aldape said. “We have a nacho cheese dispenser, hot dog grill and an air fryer so we can make the French fries they’ve been asking for.”

Rialto Fire Department Battalion Chief Jake Ploehn, who returned to the park where he played baseball as a child from 1985 to 1998, said his years in Little League had a lasting impact on him.

“What Little League promotes brings so much more value to you as an adult,” Ploehn said. “I can speak to that because I work in a profession where we work as a team. It instills these values that you get to take with you for the rest of your life.”

Ploehn also recalled one of his favorite memories from playing at the park.

“One of the coolest things back in the day is that if a foul ball was hit, you could retrieve it and bring it back to the snack bar for a piece of candy or a soda,” he said.

Scott said the project reflects the City Council’s broader emphasis on improving parks and recreational facilities.

“The last five years, the council has spent a lot of time focusing on taking care of parks,” Scott said. “We’ve increased our sales tax immeasurably in the city, and it’s given us the money to be able to do things without having to borrow money or figure out ways to finance it.”

“This speaks to the fact that we support our kids, and we want to see them healthy,” Scott added. “We want to encourage them to play ball, whether it be soccer, football, baseball or softball, and we have to give them the facilities to do that.”

Gilbert Martinez said the league is grateful for the new snack bar and restrooms but believes additional improvements are still needed at Birdsall Park.

Rialto resident and former North Rialto Little League parent Ana Gonzalez agreed.

“When I was on the committee for the general plan for the city, we prioritized the park investments, but we can do so much more,” Gonzalez said. “The next phase is the fields and the parking lot.”

Carrizales said additional improvements are being considered as part of the city’s continued investment in parks and recreation.

“We’re working on a lot of things. We’re working on expanding the walking trail all the way to Riverside Avenue,” Carrizales said. “One of my biggest goals is to have our youth be active and outdoors, to get them off of their phones and into a real social life — not social media, but a real, active social life, playing and interacting with other kids.”