Storm damages 70-year-old baseball fields
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Last month's storm caused thousands of dollars in damage to Delwood's baseball fields. Photo: Courtesy of Delwood
Volunteers who oversee a beloved baseball complex near Mueller are working to restore its fields and facilities after back-to-back storms caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage — just months after a major upgrade.
Why it matters: More than 200 young ballplayers will return to the 70-year-old Delwood baseball complex this fall, but only three of five fields are playable.
Driving the news: A wind storm at the start of the season ripped the roof off of the concession stand building, making it unusable. Then, the severe storm in May caused significant damage to the complex's historic grandstand and fencing.
- Delwood leaders are seeking support from the city and community members to raise at least $50,000 to make the park safe and playable again.
What they're saying: "Delwood has been overlooked in the past, but we hope our long-standing dedication to northeast Austin—and the hard work we've put into revitalizing the park—will lead to meaningful engagement and support," Ross Pry, president of the Delwood board of directors, tells Axios. "We are a 70-year-old Austin sports institution, and it deserves to be cared for."
Zoom in: Delwood is located in a city park, so certain repairs and improvements can only be done in coordination with the city, according to Pry.
- "That said, like many city processes, things tend to move slowly," Pry added. "September will be here before we know it, and we're facing serious time pressure to get the fields safe and functional by then."
Flashback: Delwood, a volunteer-run nonprofit, partnered with several organizations this year to make improvements to the fields, totaling roughly $75,000.
- Austin Parks Foundation provided Delwood with funds to redo the infields on three of the fields.
- Home Depot Foundation and Skyler Design Build helped with repairs to rotten wood and created a temporary concession area and meeting space.
- Before the storms, organizers were in the process of using additional funds to purchase items like new bats, helmet racks, onsite medical supplies, turf for batting cages and a John Deere gator for trash pickup.
What's next: So far, organizers have raised more than $10,000 of their $50,000 goal.
- The city will begin work soon to fix the concession stand roof. Then, city workers will replace and repair backstop fencing in July.