Flooding dooms Dumfries ballfield

By Aileen Streng

Published: May 15, 2008

Youth baseball players in the Dumfries area are going to have to find a new place to play ball.

Flooding from the recent storm damaged Dumfries' town baseball field and it is closed indefinitely.

"We are still evaluating the situation, but as of now we do not plan to repair or replace the field," said Cathy Lambe, director of community services.

Floodwater from Quantico Creek behind Dumfries Town Hall completely covered Garrison Park, where the baseball field is located, and extended beyond it into the parking lot.

When the water receded, almost all—or about 440 feet—of the field's surrounding fence was down. And, the field was covered with debris.

"It looked like no one had been to the field in 10 years," said Ray McInerney, coach of the 11-and-under Virginia Bruins baseball team. "That's how bad the damage was."

At least three other youth baseball teams have called the Dumfries field home for years.

"We were using it four, five, sometimes seven days a week," McInerney said.

McInerney estimates that the closing will impact at least 50 local players as well as players from across the region who came to the Dumfries field on game days.

"It was a pretty big shock to us that the field is no longer going to be available to us," McInerney said. "We are scrambling to find another field to practice on and play our games at."

Lambe said town officials decided not to commit to repairing the field for a few reasons, the first being financial.

"At this point I don't know where the money would come from," Lambe said.

An ongoing master park plan study is another reason.

The town has hired a consultant to look at Garrison Park to help it determine the best use of the land. Since the study is not complete, town officials hesitate to spend money to repair the field when the study might suggest a different use of the land, Lambe.

The study is likely to suggest three alternatives for the park. While one includes the baseball field, the other two would replace it with basketball/tennis courts or redesign it as green space with trails and no organized sports facilities.

The completion of the study is expected in next couple of months. The recommendations then go to the Dumfries Town Council, which will hold a public hearing before any decisions are made, Lambe said.

In the interim, Lambe has passed on contact information to the youth baseball teams for the Prince William County Park Authority.

"It's very unfortunate [that the Dumfries field is closed], especially with the way the field allocation goes with the [Prince William County] Park Authority. It is so difficult to find fields," McInerney said. "It was really nice to have had that field available to us from the town for so many years."

Staff writer Aileen Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010.