NORWALK, CT — City and school officials, along with softball players from both Norwalk and Brien McMahon high schools, celebrated the opening of the a brand new softball field at Brien McMahon with a ribbon cutting event Wednesday morning, during which the first pitch was thrown on the new field.

The field was recently converted from a natural grass field to a state-of-the-art astroturf field as part of a nine-month project.

As he addressed the crowd, Mayor Harry Rilling asked the young athletes gathered behind him what they thought of the new field, a question that received an enthusiastic response.

"We're an advocate for making the best possible fields that we can," Rilling said. "If you look at what we have here, this is a state-of-the-art field, but it's a multipurpose field as well."

According to Rilling, the new field is designed to keep the turf significantly cooler during hot weather while providing cushioning to absorb impact and traction for the players.

Upgrades also include a brand-new scoreboard, new MUSCO lights, fencing, safety netting, a batting cage and pitching warmup areas. Each base in the field is also removable so the field can be used for field hockey, soccer, baseball, lacrosse and other sports.

"When other teams come to town, you're going to be the envy of those other teams who you're playing," Rilling said. "There are a lot of different improvements here, but these things don't happen in a vacuum. These things happen because a lot of people put their energy and effort together to work together to make this happen."

Robert Stowers, director of the city's Recreation and Parks department, said the field and the facility were beautiful.

"This is a great addition to our inventory of sports fields," Stowers said, "which there is such a high demand in the city for."

Stowers noted the turf is permeable, so rain and water will filter through the field into an underground drainage system. The lights, which can be controlled wirelessly, are designed to illuminate only the field and are set to turn off automatically.

Additionally, 25 new green trees were planted around the facility.

Common Council member Darlene Young, who chairs the the Committee on Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, said a lot of work and partnerships went into completing the project in less than a year.

"I think it's incredible that we were able to accomplish this in nine months...coming out of [the coronavirus crisis] and just the things that have happened so far," Young said, "but it really isn't about just us. It's about these you people behind us and giving them a space and a place where they can continue to play the sport that they love."

John Cross, the athletic director for Brien McMahon, said he considers the new field one of the best athletic facilities at any city school in the state.

"I know people are going to be envious of every opportunity that both our boys and girls have," Cross said.

He also thanked the Norwalk High softball team for being so accommodating last season when the Brien McMahon team did not have a proper field to play on.

"It was very difficult for our girls to be in a gym," Cross said, "to go down to Brookside [Elementary School], to go down to Norwalk High...they never had a home field at all. They were waiting for this, and it's really exciting for them."

Cross noted the new facility marks an especially important upgrade over the previous field's drainage system.

"It would rain and the girls would be in the gym for 48 to 72 hours," Cross said. "We don't have to worry about rain anymore, and that's going to elevate the level of play for all of the girls in the city of Norwalk."

Following his remarks, Rilling led sophomore Caroline Sattler, a pitcher for the school's softball team, to the mound, where she threw out the first pitch on the new field. Rilling also joined in the celebratory moment by throwing out a pitch after Sattler.

Young noted the new field is just the beginning of the committee's plans in regards to recreation and parks in Norwalk, but what was most important was improving facilities for the school's young athletes.

"I just want to say I hope you young ladies love this field," Young said. "That's what it's all about."

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