The upgrading of Harry & David Field to accommodate summer-collegiate ball is almost complete, as the Medford Rogues (West Coast League) prep for a May 31 ballpark opening.
Harry & David Field was built to host youth and Legion baseball, not summer-collegiate ball, so serious upgrades to the ballpark were needed to accommodate the Rogues. Community groups raised the money for the upgrades, and we’re now seeing the fruits of that labor. From the Mail-Tribune:
Already in place are permanent seats along the first base line as well as bleacher seating alongside the concrete concourse. The same setup is slated for the third base line, with the concrete concourse slated to be finished at mid-week and construction on an adjacent party deck further toward left field beginning later in the week. The installation of seats on the third base side will begin next week and take about three days, and the protective netting behind home plate will be extended to the edge of the dugouts.
Irrigation for a grass berm that will extend the seating area toward right field was completed last week, with topsoil brought in on Friday and slated to be smoothed out today before sod is installed on Wednesday. Also this week, an additional speaker will be added to each side of the press box to help balance the sound system.
A playground for kids will be built beyond the grass berm on the right field line on May 18, and then one of the final main projects prior to the preseason opener on May 31 will be the installation of a perimeter fence to surround the complex.
Image courtesy of the Medford Rogues.
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