Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side is preparing to welcome a new Little League baseball field, set to open this fall. The project aims to provide a modern space for young athletes in the community, featuring artificial turf, batting cages, and improved infrastructure.

Community and Youth Development

The new field will replace one of the park’s existing nine baseball diamonds and serve as the home field for the Garfield Park Little League. Park District officials, along with community leaders, broke ground on the project earlier this week at the park located at 100 N. Central Park Drive.

Frank Brim, president of Garfield Park Little League, emphasized the role of sports in youth development, stating, “Baseball is just the bait. Love and caring for these young people is what we try to do for our community.” The league has already seen success, with alumni like Paris Head and Aarion Gould achieving national recognition in high school sports.

Funding and Future Plans

The $1.2 million project is funded by $1 million from local tax increment financing and an additional $200,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. This initiative is part of a larger $45 million effort by the Park District to improve parks on the South and West sides of Chicago, made possible by a $1 billion surplus in tax increment financing funds.

Park District CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa highlighted the significance of this funding, noting it as the largest tax-dollar surplus the district has received. Other planned improvements include gym floor replacements at Austin Town Hall Park and Columbus Park.

For more information about Garfield Park and its Little League offerings, residents are encouraged to visit the Park District and Garfield Park Little League websites.

Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.