It was just a few weeks ago that Minor League Baseball's grumblings over the state of the Durham Athletic Park renovations came out into the open, with complaints about the timeliness and quality of the work -- the field most specifically -- making their way into the public discourse.
City Manager Tom Bonfield promised that the project would move forward and that City staff would redouble their efforts to provide a quality facility; the taxpayer-owned facility is receiving about $5 million in renovations, with MiLB managing the park under an operating agreement. (MiLB will use the park as a training ground for its groundkeepers and other staff.)
Bonfield's team recommended in a January memo to Council that the City inform MiLB that Durham, not baseball, would be responsible for any flaws with the field, an proposing to work more closely with Minor League Baseball and the construction manager at-risk to ensure that the field work met spec even as work proceeded.
And proceeding is has been, moving right along down in the northern part of downtown.
In fact, the renovations took a nice step forward this week with the addition of field sod to the park, the next step in the complex renovation of the 70-plus-year-old park. Thanks to a reader for sending in these photos of the sod crew in action.
Look for the project to be completed in a few months -- not soon enough to host NCCU's season, which will be played at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park instead, but better late than never, as they say.
Bonfield's team recommended in a January memo to Council that the City inform MiLB that Durham, not baseball, would be responsible for any flaws with the field, an proposing to work more closely with Minor League Baseball and the construction manager at-risk to ensure that the field work met spec even as work proceeded.
And proceeding is has been, moving right along down in the northern part of downtown.
In fact, the renovations took a nice step forward this week with the addition of field sod to the park, the next step in the complex renovation of the 70-plus-year-old park. Thanks to a reader for sending in these photos of the sod crew in action.
Look for the project to be completed in a few months -- not soon enough to host NCCU's season, which will be played at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park instead, but better late than never, as they say.
oh wow, it's actually looking like something! yay!
Posted by: TSQ75 | March 05, 2009 at 08:49 AM
Thanks to BCR for the updates on the ballpark. In fact I scored some of the old seats from the auction a couple weeks ago!
Posted by: aburtch | March 05, 2009 at 09:10 AM