Ballfields 6 + 7 Reopen After Restoration

September 22, 2017

Pictured left to right: local ball players (interspersed) join Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher, Council Member Brad Lander, Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue, Council Member Matthieu Eugene, and Eddie Albert, President of the Prospect Park Baseball Association for the ribbon cutting on Ballfields 6 + 7.

Today, Council Member Brad Lander, Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue and Prospect Park Baseball Association President Eddie Albert took part in a much-anticipated ribbon cutting: the official opening of the newly restored ball fields 6 and 7 on the Long Meadow, undertaken by Prospect Park Alliance through funding from the City Council.

“I’m thrilled to celebrate the return of Fields 6 and 7, and I’m proud to continue to support the restoration of the ball fields, since completing Field 1 and moving on now to Fields 4 and 5,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s backyard and alongside Prospect Park Alliance, I’m happy to work to restore an important community space. I look forward to watching many new little league and baseball games at the Long Meadow.”

The New York City Council and Council Member Brad Lander funded the Alliance’s $2.4 million restoration of two of the Park’s seven ball fields.  The project improved infields and added new backstops, dugouts, equipment and furnishings. The area around the ball fields also underwent beautification, with optimal game viewing in mind. In place of bleachers, the Alliance added a high berm behind the ball fields, adding a new natural feature to the Long Meadow for viewing the games and picnicking.

“We are so grateful for the support of our local elected officials so that we can improve the Park for the millions of community members who consider it Brooklyn’s Backyard,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President.

This project also included the restoration of Dog Beach, which reopened in October 2016, a beloved spot for dog swimming near the Long Meadow. The restoration is part of a larger Alliance initiative that is restoring the entire 34-acre site, including all seven fields, the entire drainage system and the nearby paths and woodlands. Ball Field 1 was completed in 2016, and Fields 4 and 5 are in the design phase.

Learn more about improvement projects in the Park on the Capital Projects Tracker.