Turf fields on the docket for Levittown

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Six ballparks in Levittown will soon be getting turf fields, Hempstead Town officials announced last week.

The LandTek Group of Amityville will install the fields at a total cost of $700,000.

“Each of the Levittown area’s six youth leagues will soon have a brand new turf infield in one of their local parks,” Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray said. “Using major league caliber fields will hopefully add to the competitive excitement enjoyed by our baseball and softball players.”

Turf infields will be in play at Niest, Azalea, MacLaren, Duck Pond, Red Wing and Whalen parks. Each synthetic surface will rest atop an ultra-modern drainage system that will keep the field, dry, safe and game ready. In addition to the infields themselves, some of the park sites will receive new concrete walkways and perimeter fencing. A brand new backstop will also be installed at Azalea Road Park as part of the upgrades.

The turf infields will be accompanied by grading, hydro seeding and sodding on adjacent outfields to make the synthetic and natural surfaces truly compatible. As part of their agreement with the town, LandTek will provide free maintenance at all six fields for 3 years.

“Hempstead Town prides itself in providing the finest recreational venues for our residents,” Murray added. “With thriving youth programs that now play year-round, the new Levittown turf infields will enhance league operations by providing all weather access, low maintenance and unlimited playing time.”

Azalea and Neist Parks are completed and being played on. Duck Pond and MacLaren Parks are about a month away from opening as the turf fields are in but they still need sod. The work at Red Wing Park is just about to start and the project at Whalen Park will begin at the end of June.

“Levittown boasts a rich tradition of youth athletics and the new turf fields will allow our youngsters to play more games in better conditions than ever before,” Councilman Gary Hudes said. “Beyond the ballgames, the overall cost effectiveness of these fields is a home run for town government.”

The youth leagues that will be using the new turf infields include, the Levittown Athletic Club (Azalea), Levittown Central Little League (MacLaren), Levittown South/Wantagh Little League (Duck Pond), Levittown West Little League (Red Wing), Levittown North Little League (Whalen) and Island Trees Little League (Niest).

The LandTek Group installed the playing surface at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey, site of the most recent Super Bowl and the home field for both the New York Giants and Jets. The company also built fields for professional soccer’s Red Bulls and minor league baseball’s Brooklyn Cyclones. LandTek fields are also in play on college campuses at Hofstra, Stony Brook, Penn State, Princeton and Rutgers.