Ball field building begins

CHAUMONT — Town of Lyme workers have begun leveling new ball fields on Route 12 with a bulldozer to get them ready in the next month.

"Our hopes are to have the baseball field ready by April 1," town Supervisor Scott G. Aubertine said, adding that the soccer and softball fields also will be completed sometime next month.

The town is spending $1,500 to build a soccer field, a softball field and a baseball diamond on town-owned land behind the school district's bus garage on Route 12E.

"We're hoping to have one of the nicer fields in the county," he said. "It will be good for the town's youth and good for tourism."

The town initiated the project partly to ensure Lyme Central School District students will have a place to practice while the district renovates its athletic field this summer. Lyme Central's field improvement project is part of the district's $4 million capital construction project, which was approved by voters last March.

District Superintendent Karen M. Donahue said the spring varsity baseball season will still be held at the school's field and students will start using the town's fields once the renovation work begins in late May or June.

The district's bleachers and soccer goals will be moved to the new fields as well, she said.

The town plans to sponsor tournaments at the new fields, with hopes to attract an additional 200 to 300 people to the area over the weekends, Mr. Aubertine said.

"Our businesses depend on two things: fishing and recreation. We're trying to develop the recreational aspect of the town with the new ball fields," he said.

The town plans to build additional soccer and softball fields at the site and is looking for people to donate fences, Mr. Aubertine said. People wishing to do so should call the town office at 649-2788.

Residents also can help out during a volunteer day in early April, when the town's Highway Department workers will prepare the fields.