Upgrades to U.S. Steel Yard ballpark approved in Gary
U.S. Steel Yard used by the Gary SouthShore RailCats baseball team will get a re-sodded playing field, new light fixtures, a digital display of how hard pitchers are throwing and other improvements approved by the Gary Redevelopment Commission.
VisuaTSE, which most recently did work on the sound system at the RailCats’ ballpark in 2017, will provide the LED-lit digital display device to be installed prior to the May 21 opening day American Association game against the Sioux City Explorers.
A professional service contract with Van’s Enterprises LTD of Waukegan, Ill., for maintenance of the playing surface was approved for $19,940, said Joseph Van Dyk, commission executive director. The firm handles playing field installation at both Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, along with Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., and Ryan Field at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
City Electric Supply will provide LED upgrades to the stadium lighting system.
None of the firms is based in Gary, which concerned Commissioner Marion Johnson.
“It sure would be nice if someone could be found from Gary who could handle some of this work,” he said.
Van Dyk said the firms were chosen because of their experience in stadium maintenance, but that for some projects, such as the private boxes, Gary-based contractors could be found.
James Nowacki, a Gary resident who often complains about municipal activity, said that while the team’s lease specifies the city is responsible for main- tenance, officials should be more strict in what they approve.
“We’re talking about cutting the grass, buying a gadget and installing light bulbs. No one in the city actually benefits from any of this,” he said. “The commissioners really need to learn how to say ‘no’ to the team’s maintenance demands.”
Redevelopment President Kenya Jones said Nowacki was over-simplifying the work. “When it comes to LED bulbs, if you don’t handle the installation right, you wind up causing damage that would cost us so much more money to repair,” she said.
“These are specialized firms we’re hiring. If it were really just a matter of hiring someone to cut the grass, that we could do from within.”
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.