Overlooking the construction site of the future Richfield Youth Sports facility softball, baseball and soccer fields. (Photo by Dan Sullivan)

Youth Sports Builds a Home of Its Own

By DAN SULLIVAN
RICHFIELD SPRINGS

Some 15 years ago, a group of Richfield Springs parents started working together to provide opportunities for their kids to play Little League and youth baseball and softball.

The group, led then as now by Len Pickens, asked property owners in the area to allow them to make baseball and softball diamonds on their property temporarily.

This went on for years as the group—financed mainly by bottle and can returns along with donations—moved from site to site, each time having to build anew.

Simultaneously, surrounding communities were joining into the schedules. With a service area that stretches from Cooperstown to Little Falls, the need for a permanent site was becoming urgent. The sports offered by what is known as Richfield Youth Sports expanded to include soccer and basketball as well.

In 2021, after amassing more than $100,000.00 in container returns and donations, Pickens led the negotiation and subsequent purchase of 18.4 acres on Lake Street, straddling the Richfield village/town border. Next came an application for a CFA grant through New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which was successful.

RYS was awarded a maximum of $161,419.00 for planning, design and construction of the fields. However, no construction could start until an archeological study of the site was completed. Prior to that, bids had to go out for engineering specs, and then there was the process of contracting with the State Historic Preservation Office—itself a long, complicated series of meetings, e-mails, and calls. Last year was consumed with those details. Finally, RYS was authorized to go out for construction bids.

By 2023, however, construction costs had risen sharply. When bids came back, they were double the funds that RYS had available. There was no way to move forward unless an accommodation could be reached. And, with the cooperation of OPRHP and RYS, a way was found: Heavy equipment could be rented and the actual work could be performed by qualified volunteers. Pickens had recruited dozens of local residents with the requisite skills to handle the big machinery, the engineers agreed, and the state signed off.

On Friday, May 26 the equipment arrived, and the volunteers—many of whom took vacation days to be available—went to work. That work has continued seven days a week since beginning. Tens of thousands of cubic yards of soil and rock have been moved. The drainage work is being completed to the engineers’ specifications. The Richfield Youth Sports Athletic Complex is taking shape.

Pickens, a man of few words, had this to say: “These volunteers show what a great community we have here. Not only are the equipment operators here on site, but the coffee, food, and snacks that are donated show the support we have. We look forward to welcoming kids from the area to our facility.”

Construction will continue through June, when the seeding of the fields will take place, depending on moisture conditions. Hopefully, there will be soccer games at the facility this fall.