Members of the Red Hook community, children on little league teams (including some who play baseball for the Bonnies) and some who play soccer, and politicians (including Mayor Eric Adams) gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Red Hook Ball Fields on April 20th. Ball Fields 5-8 and Soccer Field 7 are now open to the public and leagues will be playing there this year.
The fields have been closed for seven years after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found toxins in the soil. After numerous setbacks and delays, the work to rid the fields of toxins has now been completed. The fields are now using synthetic turf rather than grass (as they had before.)
“It’s great to see the fields and the kids actually had their first game here this month,” said Jerry Katzke, the athletic director and treasurer of the Bonnies. “Most of the games are at the Parade Grounds and we play in the Parade Ground Fields but one of the other teams in the league is the Sayo Grays and they play here a lot.”
Katzke also told me more about the Bonnies and their program.
“Al Bonnie founded the program in 1949 and after starting out with just a few kids we now have more than 300,” Katzke. said. It’s for ages 5-21 and it’s always great to start working with them at a young age and see them grow both as people and as players. Our mission is to produce very good citizens for the community and we’ve had more than 150 of our members graduate from college in the last 20 years with many earning scholarships to play baseball or academic scholarships.”
Along with the Bonnies, dozens of other people gathered on the cool but sunny day with Representative Nydia Velázquez, Council Member Alexa Avilés, and EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia, all of whom wore Parks Department baseball jerseys.
“From the senior members of our community to the youngest, everyone enjoys going to ball fields to play or watch a free game,” Velázquez said. “With the Red Hook Ball Fields finally cleaned up from the former polluted industrial sites of the past, families can enjoy an upgraded and safe field once again. I will continue to fight for environmental justice in this community! And now, let’s play ball!”
In addition to these ballfields, there are more phases of the project to re-open fields in Red Hook that are expected to be completed soon. Phase 2 is expected to be completed later this year and includes opening Ball Field 9 and Soccer Field 2. Phase 3 and Phase 4 are expected to be completed in 2023 and include re-opening four more baseball fields and five more soccer fields.
“The Red Hook Ball Fields are a Brooklyn treasure known not only for sports and soccer leagues but for their vibrant street vendors too,” Avilés said. “For far too long our communities have had to endure exposure to dangerous pollutants that negatively impact our families and children. Today we oversee the completion of clean-up at ballfields 5-8 and we commend this milestone. However, more work needs to be done, including cleaning up the Red Hook Houses, many of which have lead and aren’t safe to live in. These people deserve to be treated with dignity, to live in safe conditions and I will continue to fight for them!”
Lastly, Mayor Adams spoke as media crews filmed him and cameras flashed. One of his goals as Brooklyn Borough President, and now as mayor of New York City is to promote healthy diets and active lifestyles.
“We know parks aren’t luxuries, they are necessities that help New Yorkers stay healthy and build community,” Adams said. “Thanks to this $130 million investment in the Red Hook Ball Fields, New Yorkers will be able to play ball safely for generations to come. I’m grateful to the EPA for their partnership in restoring areas that have needed help for too long. I know that there are more parks in Brooklyn than just those in Park Slope and I look forward to working together to ensure every New Yorker, regardless of zip code, has access to a clean and safe park.”
After Adams spoke, the children including players from the Bonnies as well as politicians joined together to cut the ribbon. After seven long years, children will once again play baseball in Red Hook this spring.
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