July 12, 2019 – City of Midland Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce that it has received a $300,000 grant from the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation to be used towards construction of the City’s Midland Miracle Field.
Located in Central Park, the Miracle Field will be designed to provide a safe, fully-accessible place for children with physical or cognitive disabilities to play baseball. The field will feature a poured-rubber, barrier-free surface; dugouts; bleachers; and fencing around the playing area. Players are partnered with an on-field buddy to help with fundamentals and assist during the game, and every player bats, runs, and scores in every inning.
Once completed, the field will host the Middle of the Mitt Miracle League with players from Midland, Isabella, Clare, and Gladwin counties eligible to participate in both spring and fall schedules. While roughly half a dozen Miracle Leagues currently exist in Michigan, the Midland Miracle Field will the northernmost Miracle Field in the state.
Construction of the field and parking lot areas is tentatively scheduled to begin in Spring 2020 with an estimated completion date in Fall 2020. A second phase of construction to include restrooms, concessions, a clubhouse, and park shelters will begin in Fall 2020 or Spring 2021 as funds are available. Total cost of the project is estimated at $1.6 million, including a $100,000 endowment fund for future maintenance needs.
“Our trustees are honored and thrilled to partner with the City on the Miracle Field. This will be an incredible asset in our community for years to come for our youth,” said Kimberlee Baczewski, executive vice president of the Strosacker Foundation.
“This generous gift from the Strosacker Foundation will provide life-changing opportunities for children not only in Midland County, but throughout the mid-Michigan region as well,” said Director of Public Services Karen Murphy. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of our vision to bring the Midland Miracle Field to life, and we invite other community members to join us in this effort.”
For more information on the Midland Miracle Field and the Middle of the Mitt Miracle League, please visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/miraclefield.