Village of Sea Cliff's Clifton Park will receive $85,000 toward the renovation and enhancement of their baseball fields thanks to a recent county legislative agreement. The great news was announced by Sea Cliff Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D); she told news outlets that it was an "important investment by our government that will provide the ability for residents to enjoy quality recreational facilities."
After a unanimous vote by the Legislature on April 26, the agreement was approved by the village. The village said the funds would be used for renovating the infield, specifically removing clay, replacing old turf, moving pitching mounds, and replacing old bases with new home plates and safety bases.
DeRiggi-Whitton also stated that the addition of the stadium will increase the safety and enjoyment for all the leagues, teams, and families that come to enjoy America's pastime at Clifton Park. “This project will benefit the residents of the Sea Cliff community and the residents of Nassau as a whole, and I am happy that my colleagues have unanimously endorsed this project.”
Residents of Nassau County are welcome to use the fields. The fields are frequented by residents of the North Shore school district, along with members of the North Shore baseball league, the Sea Cliff baseball league, and the Firefighters Fifth Battalion baseball league, among others.
The Sea Cliff Junior Baseball and North Shore Softball Association commissioner, James W. Versocki, seems pleased with the importance of the grant funding as it would help promote the development of the Sea Cliff Baseball program.
"We have seen our community league grow in recent years, because parents are increasingly searching for outdoor activities for their children, and these funds will help us to make our fields a more conducive environment for these activities," Versocki says.
“On behalf of our league and community, I would like to thank Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton, lawmakers, and county officials for supporting our children.”
There have been no announcements on the date or scope of the project for the ball fields, but Fire Chief Emilio Perez said the funds would enable the Sea Cliff community to return to normalcy following COVID-19.
The game of baseball is an integral part of life. One of the first signs of spring is to see children playing on a ballfield. Those ball fields at Clifton Park are now fully operational after COVID, which has never been done before," Villafane said.
"On behalf of all of the children of Sea Cliff who will enjoy the restored fields for many years to come, I wanted to express my deepest appreciation to Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton for all of her hard work in helping to bring this opportunity to Sea Cliff."
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