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City Improves Four Baseball Fields for Upcoming Season

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FROM THE CITY OF APOPKA

The City of Apopka is completing unprecedented improvements to fields at the Northwest Recreation Complex in preparation for the upcoming Apopka Little League baseball season.

Last year, Apopka’s Parks and Recreation Department met with league president Gary Odom to coordinate the schedule of improvements, which include everything from re-leveled fields and new grass and clay to new batting cages to bleacher shade structures. The idea is to have the facility look its best for the open of the little league season on Feb. 26.

The four fields – H, I, J and K – are currently closed for games and practice while newly planted seed grows into the grassy parts of the fields. City staff are also preparing to install four new batting cages – two that the City of Apopka purchased and another two purchased by the league.unnamed-14

During work, the city has made other fields available for little league practice including some that otherwise would be rented out for tournaments. The Northwest Recreation Complex at 3710 Jason Dwelley Parkway features 182 acres with 28 sports fields as well as basketball, tennis and beach volleyball courts and a 1,300-seat outdoor amphitheater. The facility hosts local sports leagues as well as youth and adult sports competitions. The Old Florida Outdoor Festival is scheduled there Feb. 12-14.

The city briefly suspended improvements to the little league fields for scheduled tournaments that were booked more than a year ago. Game activity will be limited most of this month to allow the grass seed to grow in.

The city spent nearly $65,000 to install 16 shade structures over seating around 8 fields. Each shade cover is mounted on large, 12-feet-tall poles and span 220 square feet with high-density polyethylene material. The covers can be taken down quickly in case of severe weather.

The little league fields also were leveled using a laser system to ensure they are ideal for gameplay. New clay was installed on all fields and new grass was put in three of the fields. The new batting cages will be ready in the next three weeks.

As an added benefit, Apopka High School student Eddy Osegueda built two decorative brick boxes framing the foundations of two scoreboards to earn his eagle rank with the Boy Scouts of America. That project began on Jan. 9 and wrapped up last Tuesday.

Apopka Little League, Baseball Fields, City of Apopkas

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