An intermunicipal agreement recently passed in the Nassau County Legislature will deliver $85,000 in capital funding to the Village of Sea Cliff for the renovation of two baseball fields at Clifton Park, Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) announced.
The Legislature voted unanimously to approve the agreement on April 26, and the village said the capital funds will be used to strip clay and grass from the infield, replace those areas with new clay and sod with appropriate drainage, rebuild pitchers’ mounds and replace old bases with new home plates and safety bases.
“These improvements will make Clifton Park safer and more enjoyable for the leagues, teams and families who come here to participate in America’s pastime at every level,” DeRiggi-Whitton said in a statement. “I thank my colleagues for unanimously saying ‘Play ball!’ to a project that will benefit the Sea Cliff community and Nassau residents for many seasons to come.”
The ball fields are open to Nassau County residents and are frequently used by residents of the North Shore school district and members of the Sea Cliff Baseball League, the North Shore Softball League and the Firefighters Fifth Battalion Baseball League, among others.
James W. Versocki, commissioner of the Sea Cliff Junior Baseball and North Shore Softball Association, said that his organization was “thrilled” at the funding being secured.
“Our community league has grown – especially due to the pandemic as parents look for outdoor activities for their children – and these funds will help us provide these activities with improved and safer fields,” Versocki said in a statement. “On behalf of our league and our community we thank Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton, the Legislature and the County Executive for supporting our children.”
While dates for the renovations to the ball fields have not yet been announced, Sea Cliff Mayor Elena Villafane said the funds would assist in a return to normalcy for the Sea Cliff community following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Baseball is part of the fabric of life. The sight of children on a ballfield is one of the first signs of the promise of spring. In the aftermath of COVID, nothing could be more gratifying than the restoration of the ball fields at Clifton Park,” Villafane said. “On behalf of all of the children of Sea Cliff who will enjoy the restored fields for years to come, I wanted to express our deep appreciation to Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton for all of her hard work in bringing this opportunity to Sea Cliff.”
