Bill Swanson, left, and Mikey Scharba, attach lights to poles.
Work began today (Nov. 8) to install lights on two fields in Brookfield Township Community Park.
Brookfield Youth Baseball and Softball League has wanted to have lights for years, so it can hold more games and host more tournaments. A fund-raising campaign and a significant material donation has made that possible.
The league still needs about $10,000 so it can buy pipe, wiring and other electrical components, said President Matt Lucy.
“We’re hoping a few more donations come in from now until we complete the project,” he said.
See the Brookfield Youth Baseball & Softball League Facebook page for more information on donating to the project.
Hercules LED of Boardman sold the lights at a discounted rate and an anonymous donor provided the wooden poles, Lucy said. Four poles will hold 24 light fixtures on each field. The total project will cost about $50,000, he said.
With lights, the league can hold more games each week to accommodate an increase in the number of players, Lucy said. It also will allow the league to start a fall ball program, and make the park more attractive to travel-ball tournament organizers, he said.
The league and the township trustees – the township owns the park – have entered into a contract that specifies that the township will own the lights and has agreed to the plans for their installation. The lights will be metered, and the league will pay for the electricity to run the lights and maintenance costs. The league also is responsible for turning the lights on and off.
The trustees conferred with an attorney and the township’s insurance carrier before agreeing to the light installation project, said Trustee Shannon Devitz.
The trustees do not want any activity in the park beyond 10 p.m., and Lucy said he expects the league will wrap up by 9 p.m. most nights.
Judy Radachy, who runs the Adaptive Baseball League that uses Field 4, which is handicapped accessible, asked about improved lighting in the parking areas when there are night games. Devitz said the township is looking into the cost of adding lights to parking lots.
Matt Lucy, left, and others, backfill the hole where a light pole has been installed.
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