Springfield officials Monday unveiled renovations to the main baseball field at Forest Park. Walker Grandstand, which surrounds the diamond, underwent $4-million worth of improvements in recent months.
Federal funding covered $3 million of the cost, with the city picking up the rest.
The grandstand is a brick structure with bleacher seating for fans. It has been a hub for amateur baseball in Springfield for decades. A wide range of youth teams, high schools, American Legion clubs and adult squads have all played there over the years.
The repairs, many of which were structural in nature, were sorely needed.
"The roof had to be done, infrastructure-wise, repointing of all the bricks almost in the entire, so it's really a complete gut," said Springfield’s Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management Director Tom Ashe.
The dugouts were rebuilt and now include new ramps to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. There were also improvements made to the playing surface, and a new outfield fence with foul poles was also installed as part of the project.
Ashe said with the renovation completed, he hopes the field will see plenty of use.
"Now I think we've got a gem of a park, of a ball field here, and we think we're really going to attract some quality teams play in it, we're hoping that's the end effect," he said.
During the event marking completion of the renovations, Mayor Domenic Sarno reminisced about his own playing days on this diamond. And it was familiar territory for the mayor: He was a catcher as a youth and was standing near home plate while speaking during the event.
He said being able to play on that field was like “being in the major leagues” given the grandstand and fans who would fill it.
Springfield U.S. Representative Richard Neal, who helped to secure the federal funding for Walker Grandstand said he too played on that diamond, as did his children and that the renovation was “tastefully” done.
Sarno also announced that the scoreboard would be dedicated in memory of the late Garry Brown. Brown, who died in 2022 was a long time sports reporter and columnist for newspapers in Springfield and local sports advocate, especially baseball.
The first big event for Walker Grandstand will be on Sunday when the Westfield Starfires, a summer team made up of college athletes, will play their annual game at Forest Park. The team plays in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League and will take on the Worcester Braveharts at 4 p.m.