The Derby Board of Aldermen — and, later, the city’s tax board — will be discussing whether to allocate $13,000 to install a sprinkler system and re-sod the infield at the Derby Little League’s “major league” field near Coon Hollow Road off Chatfield Street.
The city’s capital planning commission met Wednesday to hear about why they should recommend the project be added to the city’s list of improvement projects.
Rob Hyder, of Derby Little League, said the field in question — which is maintained by parents and the city’s DPW to some extent, officials said — is in rough shape and is becoming a safety issue.
Kids who hit a single essentially have to run uphill to reach first base because the ground is uneven from years of use. Kids running from third base to home are running downhill.
The ruts and uneven surface are hurting kids, Hyder said.
A visiting pitcher was recently hit in the face after a routine ground ball bounced up at him thanks to the field’s bumps.
A Derby player running from third base sliding safely into home plate twisted an ankle due to the poor condition of the field, Hyder said.
The $13,000 in improvements will make for a safer, better maintained field, Hyder said.
Derby officials in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting supported the project.
Keith McLiverty, the city’s treasurer, said he couldn’t remember the last time the capital planning committee gave a dime to help the Little League’s field.
Ken Marcucio, Sr., a Little League official, school board member and capital planning commission member, concurred.
Alderman Ron Sill also supported the project, saying that it’s a no-brainer in terms of player safety. Sill also hoped that repairing the field would get more kids to play baseball locally.
Next step in the process — a discussion by the Board of Aldermen, which will probably happen Thursday, Sept. 26.