A new type of baseball field broke ground Saturday afternoon in Webster.
Challenger Miracle Field of Greater Rochester will be a multi-use field, specifically designed for individuals with physical or cognitive challenges. Amenities will include cushioned, rubber surfaces in the field, wheelchair accessible dugouts, and completely flat surfaces to eliminate any barriers in participation.
Ron Kampff, President of the Board of Directors for Challenger Baseball has been involved with the organization since 2001, and said it was about time they did something for their players.
"We had a little website going, we started getting some donations, and it kind of evolved into a big project. The project grew from a $400,000 field into a $1.9 million project but its all good stuff."
Fundraising efforts have generated around $700,000 so far. That was the amount needed to begin construction.
Kampff says it’s important for these players to have a field of their own, like any other sports team.
"This is their home. This will be their place. I mean, I looked at all these great programs and high school programs and fields and it’s like, what about these guys?"
He says the field aims to be a place for any athlete of any ability.
"Autism for example. This whole field will be fenced in, nobody can wander.”
Challenger Baseball is a separate division of Little League baseball, and locally 400 children between the ages of 4 and 18 participate in the organization.
Other amenities to the 5 acre site at the Ridge Park Athletic Complex will include concessions, ADA equipped bathrooms and a barrier free, adaptive playground.