Quad Park served the adult rec softball community well for nearly 20 years, attracting players from North Idaho and the Spokane area.

During its heyday, as many as 200 teams played at the four-field, privately owned complex before it closed following the 2005 season.

Lance Bridges, in his 15th years as Rathdrum Parks and Recreation Director, worked in a similar role in Post Falls during the good ol' days of Quad Park, so he remembers the popularity.

These days, with the help of Rathdrum recreation supervisor Ron Sarrys, Bridges is trying to create a similar type of adult softball fever in Rathdrum.

Using the two softball fields at Majestic Park, which was built in 2012, Bridges and Sarrys are looking to get adult ASA softball leagues going in Rathdrum this summer.

"Rathdrum is a growing community, and this is the time we want to develop a complex for adults to play softball," Bridges said. "We do have a few players in Rathdrum always going to Coeur d'Alene to play. A few players in Post Falls go to Coeur d'Alene and play. Coeur d'Alene has been the only market for adult softball since Quad Park stopped. That's why we as a community thought, maybe it's time we have another facility for people to play in."

SINCE THE demise of Quad Park, Coeur d'Alene has been the only community in the county to offer adult ASA softball. The number of teams in Coeur d'Alene has grown through the years since, as many of the players from Quad came into Coeur d'Alene to play.

Steve Anthony, longtime Coeur d'Alene recreation director, is also the state ASA softball commissioner. So while leagues in Rathdrum could cut into the number of teams playing in Coeur d'Alene, he has been quite helpful in helping Rathdrum get its softball leagues going.

"It's not competition - 100 percent we're working with him," Anthony said. "Hopefully it gets more teams playing. When Quad Park was going, it benefited both of us - it got more people playing softball."

A few years ago, Steve Vogel tried to get adult softball going in Rathdrum, through the United States Specialty Sports Association. But there was only room for one adult softball game at a time at Stub Myer Park - with no fences - so growing the sport was difficult.

"I went to the ballplayers in the area and they said, 'when are we going to have softball out here?'" Bridges said. "I've gotten that for the last 10 years."

Four years ago, the city of Rathdrum received a land and water grant, and was able to build Majestic Park on 11.2 acres. Along with the two softball diamonds, which were built in 2013, a splash pad was constructed to make the park more family friendly. Should league softball play become popular in Rathdrum, there is space at the park to add up to three more softball fields. A basketball court is also being considered.

"There is room out there to develop a new Quad Park - and you and me both know what Quad Park was back in those days," said Bridges, in his 33rd year in the recreation business in the area. "That's the theory we have, and we think we can be very successful, because it is a softball complex. And the beauty of it is, it's a family oriented park because it also has a splash pad next to the diamonds, so it's going to be perfect for families."

APPLICATIONS FOR adult men's and coed teams are being accepted at the Rathdrum Parks and Rec office. Right now, they're looking at men's teams playing on Wednesday nights, coed teams on Sunday afternoons.

"We would like to start small at least to get some teams in there playing," Sarrys said, "so they can get out in the community and start talking about our park and our program getting up and running."

If adult softball proves popular in Rathdrum, Bridges said lights could be added at Majestic Park, summer play could be expanded to other nights, fall leagues would be considered, and youth soccer and flag football could also be played out there.

In the past couple of years, the softball fields at the park have been used for a handful of youth and adult games and tournaments.

"It's going to be a challenge," Bridges said. But, "I think Rathdrum is going to continue to grow, and we want to stay ahead of the growth," he said.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.