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Three ballfields set for construction at Fairview Park
Three ballfields set for construction at Fairview Park
South Fayette youth baseball and softball program to benefit from facilities
By Andrea Iglar
Hundreds of children a year are expected to benefit from new ballfields that will be built next year in Fairview Park.
South Fayette Township held a groundbreaking ceremony in October to mark the start of construction of three ballfields to accommodate youth baseball, softball and other sports.
Each season spring to fall, the fields will accommodate more than 600 children, ages 3 to 15, who play with the South Fayette Baseball and Softball Association.
The bulk of construction will occur in 2025, and the fields could open as early as fall 2025 or spring 2026, depending on grass growth and other factors.
The infields will be artificial turf, and the outfields will be natural grass.
Amenities will include sidewalks, fencing, dugouts, scoreboards, ADA-accessible walking trails and a batting cage. Field lights will be added in the future.
Dan Cali, president of the baseball/softball association, said the project will benefit community athletics.
“Playing baseball and softball in Western Pennsylvania comes with its challenges. Our biggest opponent isn’t St. Clair or Peters or any other neighboring communities—it’s the rain. So having infields that are turf is going to be amazing,” he said.
“And from a coaching perspective, we can spend more time developing our players instead of working on the infield, which is awesome.”
The ballfield project is the last phase of a major expansion of Fairview Park that includes the Bark Park, splash pad, Mayview Pavilion and new park entrance from Mayview Road.
The 68-acre expansion site is part of the former Mayview State Hospital property that the township acquired in 2017.
Paula Willis, the township parks and recreation director, said she is excited to see the projects come to fruition.
“Now the park is over 191 acres, and I truly feel it is a multigenerational park,” she said. “It really does have something for everyone.”
Board of Commissioners president Chuck Lazzini, who is a lifelong township resident, said he remembers playing Mighty Mites baseball in Fairview Park “when it was nothing like it is today.”
“This is a very exciting time for South Fayette,” he said.
Commissioners approved a $2.35 million contract in September with vendor FieldTurf to construct the project.
Grants pay for about 72 percent of the total project cost.
The project has secured more than $1.69 million in grants—including a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Interior’s Land and Water Conservation Fund, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Wesley Robinson, the DCNR press secretary, said the agency is proud to support the work in Fairview Park.
“These improvements will help get young people into parks through sports, while also expanding ADA access and improving park amenities for users who are seeking more passive recreation outdoors,” Robinson said.
In addition to the $1 million grant, funding sources include:
• $500,000: Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Pandemic Response Grant
• $145,000: Commonwealth Financing Authority, Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund, administered by Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County
• $25,000: Pirates Charities and Highmark, through the Fields for Kids Program
• $25,000: T-Mobile Hometown Grant
Township Manager John M. Barrett thanked the funding partners for their support.
“Having all those resources come together really helps leverage additional capacity for projects like this,” Barrett said.
Cali appreciated the investment in youth baseball and softball: "We are excited and cannot wait for our players to step foot on these new state-of-the-art facilities.”
