New Canaan Softball is making key improvements to its two playing fields at Waveny ahead of this spring season.
Following approval this week from the Board of Selectmen, the nonprofit organization is funding the estimated $40,250 cost of extending the left and right field foul ball fences on both the Orchard and Water Tower Fields, as well as improving the pitcher’s warmup area at Orchard.
“They want to replace existing worn-out fencing and posts as needed and then add approximately two sections on each field of 35 feet long on the back fence of the bench area,” Parks & Recreation Director John Howe told the selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference.
He continued: “What this will allow is the young kids when they overthrow first or third, the ball goes out of play. And that’s it. This will keep the ball in play and change the game for the young kids. We’ve also gone through the high school teams and they support this as long as it’s the further-back fence. The one issue we might have is on the Water Tower Field. And we will mark that out and check with Tennessee Gas or whatever they’re called now, the gas pipeline that goes through there. We might not be able to put that fence on the first base line because it’s right near their right-of-way. But we’ll meet with their representative before we do any work there.”
Howe and New Canaan Softball Coaching Coordinator DJ Martin presented the plans to the selectmen as well as the Parks & Recreation Commission. Martin told Parks & Rec that part of the work Stamford-based Exterior Living LLC will do is repair the existing fencing, which curls up from the bottom due to age and use.
The existing warmup area along the left-field line at the Orchard Field is clay and “it ruts itself out all the time,” Howe said.
“The fences are short and worn out,” he said. “So what they want to do there is put in one small section. I’m saying ‘AstroTurf,’ but really artificial turf, so that it can be used no matter what without having to re-rake it and everything else. And they want to replace the fence. And since it’s AstroTurf, we’re going to completely enclose it with a fence, just so that there’s no vehicles driving across it. Keep it nice and clean.”
Exterior Living has already done great work for the town, Howe said, including the planting of five apple trees at the Orchard Field.
First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of authorizing the work. New Canaan Softball is lodging a check with Parks & Rec, which will pay the vendor.
Carlson said: “Thank you to New Canaan Softball for the generous contribution to the community for your athletes. It’s one of the things that makes New Canaan so amazing is we have people willing to donate and take things up to the next level that the town wouldn’t necessarily support. So thank you very much, Mr. Martin, and your organization.”
Murphy Carroll asked whether the town should be keeping up its own fencing. Howe said yes “and we are very close to doing it.”
“We prioritize our fence repairs,” Howe said.
However, with the fence extensions going in, New Canaan Softball wanted “to do it all at the same time and get it done for this spring.”
Karl said he liked the warmup area design.
“You won’t have to chase balls around if it’s fenced in,” he said. “That’s smart design and that’s far enough away from the road there, too.”