The grandstand at the main baseball field in Springfield's Forest Park is undergoing a $4 million facelift.
The field, which is surrounded by Walker Grandstand, has long been a premier location for amateur baseball in the city. The building dates back to the late 1940's, and construction crews are making a number of updates to the structure. Some of them include improved seating, renovations to the restrooms and a concession stand.
"We really want this to be a marquee site, a great place for high school kids and legion kids, college kids and even semipro teams to come and say, 'We want to play at Walker Stadium at Forest Park," said Tom Ashe, the city’s parks commissioner.
During an event at the venue this week, both Springfield U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno reminisced about their playing days as youths. Sarno, a former catcher said he always looked forward to playing at the Walker Grandstand field.
"Played a lot of games here, sandlot, high school, legion, Tri-County and it was always a big deal to play here at Walker Stadium," Sarno said. "This was our big leagues here."
Sarno and Neal said there are plans in the works to name the dugouts at the renovated stadium after the late Garry Brown. He was a longtime sportswriter and columnist with the Springfield Newspapers who was a proponent of local sports.
The project is being paid for with $3 million in federal funding, with the city kicking in the rest. Work is expected to be completed by April, in time for the next baseball season.
Walker Grandstand is not the only baseball venue in western Massachusetts to receive federal funding for renovations. Neal helped to deliver another $3 million for work to Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, as part of a larger proposed project which could cost more than $25 million.
