Seaside Park Baseball Diamond Replaced

For the first time in 18 years, the baseball diamond at is getting a much-needed facelift.

Workers from the Wrentham-based Sports Turf Specialties Inc. are expected to complete a replacement of the infield and surrounding grass by the end of the day today, according to Recreation and Parks Commission Superintendent Brendan Egan.

"After a few weather delays, the infield project is well underway and is scheduled to be completed tomorrow," Egan said at the commission's meeting Tuesday night. "The entire grass infield and about eight feet beyond the perimeter of the infield have been completely removed."

On Tuesday afternoon, a crew of workers graded the infield and outfield areas, the base paths were centered, the pitcher's mound and home plate were rebuilt with clay and the diamond was topped off with infield mix.

"Normally with a baseball infield you would do a replacement at the 12-year point, but for this field it has been 18 years since we did one," commission member Chip Osborne said after the meeting.

An last weekend delayed the start of the project because the company replacing the field was called in to clear the parking lot of Gillette Stadium of snow on Monday, Egan said.

A layer of sod is expected to be installed today and Egan said the project will not require that the infield be roped off from the public.

"We should have perfect weather for getting this done," Egan said, adding "They'll get it in there nice and tight, they're going to water it when they put it in and we will be ready to go."

In July, the park's Elliott Roundy Grandstand was added to the National Register of Historic Places.