Upgrades planned for city baseball parks

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Kayla Lapham, a laborer for the City of Plattsburgh Recreation Department, rakes the pitcher's mound at Melissa L. Penfield Park baseball field. The city plans to improve the drainage system on the field, cut the infield area and baselines properly and improve the pitching mound. Upgrades are also planned at South Acres Park.

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September 2, 2010

By JOE LoTEMPLIO Staff Writer The Press Republican Thu Sep 02, 2010, 03:28 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — Councilors will vote tonight on plans to improve the city's baseball fields.

The city budgeted up to $250,000 for improvements to the diamonds at Melissa L. Penfield Park and South Acres Park.

But only $100,000 will be used, as plans were revised to cut costs.

"We have heard complaints and concerns about these fields for years, and we want to address them and make these improvements as these fields are used by hundreds of people every summer," Mayor Donald Kasprzak said.

PENFIELD PARK

Plans include improved drainage systems in the infield and outfield at the Penfield Park field, cutting the infield area and baselines properly and improving the pitching mound.

City Recreation Director Steve Peters said the infield is actually lower than the outfield, which causes severe drainage problems.

The infield will be raised about three inches and re-cut to ensure proper drainage.

"With these improvements, the field will recover much quicker after it rains," Peters said.

The city will also increase the height of the outfield fences from left center field to right center field, which may alleviate some "pop fly" home runs.

The field, which features a relatively short 327-foot fence in dead center field, has been the brunt of many criticisms over the years for yielding too many unworthy home runs.

"We talked with people from the CVBL (Champlain Valley Baseball League), Plattsburgh High School and the Babe Ruth league, and we felt that was one of the things we could do," Peters said.

Also planned is moving the light poles outside the playing area. The concrete and steel poles are now in foul territory but still in play.

"We've been concerned about safety, and we need to do this," the mayor said.

The dugouts will also be fixed up to avoid puddles forming when it rains.

The Little League field at Penfield Park will also be re-cut to improve drainage, and the mound will be improved.

SOUTH ACRES

At South Acres, the same plans for improving drainage will also be undertaken.

Work at both parks is expected to begin the third week of September and will take two to three weeks.

Councilors will vote on the plans at tonight's meeting, which begins with a work session at 5, followed by the regular meeting at 5:30.

Both meetings are open to the public.

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com