Although work started last week on a multi-million-dollar new phase at The Bridge, last night a crowd was on hand at the complex to make it official.

 

Bridgeport officials, along with various others, were on hand to hold a groundbreaking ceremony at The Bridge late Tuesday afternoon. The groundbreaking kicks off the next phase at the massive facility and comes with a $7.3 million price tag.

 

“Obviously, we’re incredibly pleased to get to this point. When you look back to when we had our first groundbreaking and opened the baseball fields (April of 2012) more than 13 years ago, this next phase shows just how far we’ve come,” said Bridgeport Interim City Manager and Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth.

 

The latest phase, which was approved months ago by Bridgeport City Council, will see the installation of new multi-purpose turf field that is aimed at increasing opportunities for community events as well as the ability to increase sports tournaments.

 

The term “multi-purpose” is not hyperbole. It will be like the one that is directly behind the Citynet Center, which was the most recently completed phase. This one, however, will be on the southern end of the property, which is to the left of the Citynet Center when coming up into the facility.

 

“It’s amazing a city can provide this type of facility for not just our children and adults, but for others throughout the region and other states. As the mayor, it makes me extremely proud to be part of this,” said Mayor Robert Matheny. “The city manager (Shuttleworth) and (Bridge GM) Droo (Callahan) have brought me up to speed on this from funding to its history … There is no downside to this. This is the type of project with these multi-purpose field we hope to see more of in the next few years and one that has been typical in Bridgeport.”

 

 

The field is substantial in size. It will cover 219,000 square feet. Shuttleworth and Callahan have said the field will be able to be converted for use into two full-size soccer and football fields, a pair of 300-foot baseball fields, as well as four 225-foot baseball fields. There will be dugouts situated on the corners of each field for baseball and softball, and the field will also be able to host lacrosse.

 

“Throughout this process, we’ve realized the facilities need to be multi-purpose to not only allow for the nicest facilities for multiple sports, but to all it for our residents and the sports tourism industry,” said Shuttleworth, who called it the most satisfying project he’s  worked on in his decades with the city. “… It has been rewarding to see something like this take off. It’s going to be huge for us on all fronts.

 

The project will be overseen by FieldTurf. Raynes and Company, LLC, will manage the site work that is needed, among other chores, as one of many subcontractors working on the job, which also includes Mountain State Electrical Contractors of Bridgeport that will handle the electric work, including the installation of LED lighting on the field. The planned date for all to be ready is April 1, 2026.

 

Check back later this week for a gallery from the event.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo from Tuesday's groundbreaking shows, from left, Council member Jaclyn Rominger, Interim City Manager Joe Shuttleworth, Mayor Robert Matheny, Connor Schlegel of FieldTurf, and Council member Chris Kinney. Next two photos show contractors doing work on the property that will be the future home of The Bridge's newest multi-purpose field and complex.