The ball fields at the Bridgeport Recreation Complex and Bridgeport City Park may no longer be seeing competitive use, but they’re certainly seeing plenty of activity. In recent days, the ball fields at both complexes are seeing tens of thousands of dollars in upgrades.

 

“The fall renovations are in full swing,” said Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Director Joe Shuttleworth.

 

The key part of the renovations at both facilities involve the laser grading of the infields on six different fields. Playing Surface Solutions out of Meadville, Pa., is handling the work at both sites.

 

At the Recreation Complex, the four baseball fields in the wagon wheel configuration are seeing plenty of work. All the fields are being laser graded to make them at the proper angles needed to keep the fields in top playing shape for as long as possible.

 

“We’re adding an infield mix of silt and sand then it’s being laser graded. Basically, once this is complete the fields will be at the proper grade and that helps the fields become more playable, helps with drainage and improves the overall condition of the field,” said Shuttleworth. “When this is done it will be back to the original grade from when the fields first opened.”

 

While that may seem like a problem due to the fields have only been used three summers, Shuttleworth said it’s a by-product of success. And that, he said, is a good thing.

 

“Those fields have had excessive usage with the amount of games and practices and because of that they become flattened and those areas hold water as opposed to shedding it in the original design,” said Shuttleworth. “It’s an issue for local players and when we have tournament, particularly during rain events.

 

“The goal with the Rec Complex is to have ongoing improvement and maintenance to guarantee the playing experience and the experience at the facility is positive to the point they come back and when they come back they notice changes,” he continued. “We hear that from the many groups that have returned and when they return it’s just part of an economic driver where you have people staying in hotels, shopping locally, eating locally and spending money in our area.”

 

Along with the grading, which is more of an upkeep issue, the fields will now be featuring “walk up areas.” Those are the areas where the player leave the batter box and walk to home plate. In the past, those areas have been worn out and eventually become water problems. That will no longer be the case.

 

“We’ve cut in walk areas and filled it with crushed brick material that is compact,” said Shuttleworth. “The area with the new material includes the walk up areas as well as the warning track areas from the end of each dugout to behind home plate. It meets its function purpose, but it also looks good.”

 

At Bridgeport City Park, the laser grading has been needed for the last several years. Shuttleworth said the facilities weren’t up to the standard that the city wanted.

 

“We’re utilizing equipment from the Rec Complex to help there and we’re using techniques we’ve gotten better at through trial and error there to help at City Park,” said Shuttleworth. “Next year we’re confident that that we won’t have the drainage issues we’ve had recently.

 

Both the baseball and softball field at City Park are part of the project. Shuttleworth said the work could be completed by today or early next week.

 

“The good news is that when it’s time to play ball next year, you will see the benefit of this work. What they’re doing now won’t interrupt a thing when it’s time to play ball again,” said Shuttleworth.

 

The laser grading component of the projects cost roughly $55,000. Additional work done, including work already done with backstops and more at City Park and with the brick material, pushes the project north of six figures. The equipment used to laser grade the fields are attached to the front of the equipment that drags and grades the field and can be seen clearly in the top photo.

 

Editor's Note: Workers with Playing Surface Solutions take care of business Wednesday at the Bridgeport Recreation Complex.