By By Connie Nowlin Managing editor
Work to create a ball field at Houston Avery Park suitable for league baseball play is progressing.
Sod was placed on the infield of the baseball diamond Thursday. The city paid to resurface the field as part of the regular upkeep of a city-owned facility, said Councilman John Watkins.
"The resurfacing is just part of the cost of upkeep," Watkins said. "We will also have to keep it cut."
The field is being brought up to standards required by Little League.
"All hardball Little League fields have to have grass infields," said Kenneth Day, who works in the Parks Department for the city.
" Fields have to meet certain specifications to be used for tournament play," Day said.
And tournament play is what Wayne Gray, co-founder of the Concerned Citizens, would like to see at Houston Avery Park.
"We've had a charter since 1998," Gray said. "We are in District 3. They try to rotate for the Little League tournaments. We want to be in compliance so that when they come to inspect the fields, we will meet (tournament standards)."
The organization went to the city for a little help, but its expectations were within reason.
"It's kind of a two-year plan," Gray said. "I understand how things are. Money is a little tight."
Gray is pleased with the new infield, though.
"We got a new scoreboards from Pepsi, and new dugouts and bleachers from private donations and the United Fund.
"We have got a nice facility here, and we want to keep it up, and improve on it when we can," Gray said.