The baseball fields south of Roosevelt High School hummed with activity Thursday with nearly 100 workers and volunteers upgrading the grounds.
Gary Parks Director LaVetta Sparks-Wade said the improvements focused on leveling the infields, and the installation of an irrigation system on both fields. Workers also cleared the area of weeds and brush.
In addition, Sparks-Wade said a roller rink will be built on a vacant tennis court near the concession stand. Workers cleared debris off the courts in preparation for the rink. Sparks-Wade said the courts will be repaved and painted in bright colors for skaters.
She said a member of the Park Board suggested the roller rink after seeing its popularity in Detroit.
Sparks-Wade said the city plans improvements at parks in each of the city’s council districts with federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.
“We will have ‘jewel’ parks in each district,” she said.
City crews from the Fire Department and General Services, and summer interns joined volunteers from the SouthShore RailCats, an organization that has long supported the Roosevelt fields, Simmons Field Solutions, of Portage, and RainMaker Irrigation Inc. in Highland.
Home Field Advantage, an organization that supports youth baseball, provided $114,000 for the effort, Sparks-Wade said.
Anthony Giammanco, general manager for the RailCats, said its whole front office and interns showed up to help level out the infields and clear brush.
“For us, it’s just being part of the community,” he said. “It also builds camaraderie around our staff.”
Noah Simmons said his crew cut down trees, picked up trash and debris, and started grooming the fields.
“We’re happy to help the city of Gary and provide kids a safe field to play on,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the smaller minor league field, RainMaker workers dug a trench for the 2.5-inch 20-foot 20-foot-long PVC pipes that will be connected to a main water line inside the concession area.
Mark Hirchak, RainMaker president, said the stainless steel heads where the water emerges will have about a 50-foot overlap and it will operate on an automated timer system.
Sparks-Wade said the field should be ready for fall baseball leagues. She said the parks department would handle the maintenance of the fields and park.
Sparks-Wade said other parks designated as “jewels” include Glen Ryan in District 1; Brunswick in District 2; Tolleston in District 3; Ironwood in District 4; and Howe Park in District 6.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
