The saga of Frank Principe Park’s redesign is finally nearing an end.
After months of meetings, proposals, debating and alterations, the final design for the ballfields at the Maspeth park has been decided.
According to the Parks Department plans that QNS obtained on May 31, Frank Principe Park will soon be home to an all-synthetic turf field, which will be broken up into a 110-yard by 65-yard soccer field and two multi-use little league/softball fields facing diagonally toward each other. The soccer field will be on the eastern end of the park, while the ballfields will be on the western end.
A 24-foot-high chain-link fence will separate the soccer field and ballfields, preventing an overlap in play between the games, a major community concern during public visioning sessions.
The previous design had the soccer field with synthetic turf and the ballfields with natural grass. This brought up concerns of maintenance on the natural grass fields, so it was changed to an all-turf field in the final design.
“Adding synthetic turf ballfields to Frank Principe Park represents my commitment to ensuring that Frank Principe Park will last for decades, benefiting children of all ages and the entire community,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, who allocated the funds for the project. “This $6.9 million investment will give new life to a park that has desperately needed it for decades. My thanks to the Parks Department, Community Board 5 and all the residents who came out to give their input on this project. It was truly a joint effort, and I look forward to finally putting a shovel in the ground.”
The fields will be surrounded by an asphalt running path and several new trees. New misting stations will be placed on the 24-foot fence and in the dugouts to keep players cool during games.
There is no set date on when construction on the redesign will begin as of yet.
