Thunder Bay baseball fields need work before under-18 championships: report

A consultant's report shows the baseball fields where the world under-18 championships will be held in 2017 still need a lot of work before the first pitch is thrown.

The report, commissioned by the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association the group that's hosting the games recommends a number of upgrades and maintenance work be done to Port Arthur Stadium and Baseball Central.

The city is currently taking bids from contractors to do the necessary work.

"It's standard planning that happens prior to international events," said Warren Philp, the executive director of the association.

"In this case, with drafted and signed players, belonging to Major League Baseball teams being involved .... it was a requirement to bring in [consultants] .... to assess fields that these players will be playing on."

The report was done by Brickman Sports Turf Services a U.S-based consultant that works with Major League Baseball, and the World Baseball-Softball Confederation, the body that oversees the under-18 championships.

Bringing fields up to a 'higher standard'

The report notes that neither facility is up to minimum safety standards for an international tournament.

"Look around a baseball field, see where there's potential danger for players as they transition from one surface to another," Philp said of the field assessments. "What are things that have to be addressed to bring it up to a good status from a safety standpoint?"

At Port Arthur Stadium which is about 65 years old the dugouts need to be widened, have new steps to the field installed, and require exposed concrete to be covered. In addition, there needs to be more room between home plate and the backstop, irrigation rotors need to be replaced and less exposed, and padding needs to be added to in-play walls and fences, according to the report.

What are things that have to be addressed to bring it up to a good status from a safety standpoint?- Warren Philp, executive director, Thunder Bay International Baseball Association

General upgrades also need to be made to all playing surfaces, the report adds.

Similar issues were found with Baseball Central, according to the report, with the added issue of the field not draining properly after rain.

Fields to be inspected May, 2017

Work is slated to start this year, Philp said, in order to have the fields ready for inspection by international baseball officials by the end of May, 2017.

"The bulk of the work [will be] done, especially around turf improvements, this year, and going into the fall time, so that new turf, if necessary, has the opportunity to catch," he said.

With a long list of areas for improvement, Philp said it may depending on cost come down to prioritizing the most crucial work. He added that because the city's window to accept bids is still open, it's too early to say how much that cost will be.