- WHITEFORD TOWNSHIP — May 19, 2017 — By Doug Donnelly
The Bedford Baseball Club held a dedication ceremony as it kicked off its home portion of the 2017 schedule at the Whiteford Stoneco Community Park this week.
The club entered into an agreement with Whiteford Township officials prior to this season to make a significant volunteer and financial commitment to upgrade Field 4 at the park, including the construction of an entire new infield, an outfield fence and two dugouts built to required specifications at no cost to the township. The two dugouts are the first of its kind at the park.
In return, the club has been given exclusive rights to use the field for all of its practices and home games for this season and in the near future as its team grows from one age group to the next.
Township officials began working with John Decker Jr., a Whiteford Township resident, on the project months ago and a large team of volunteers – including other parents and grandparents from the Whiteford Township community – worked almost daily for two months to get the field ready for its May 17 home opener. Discussions are underway between the club and township officials to make the premiere field available for other teams and organizations for a usage fee.
The Whiteford Stoneco Community Park is located at the corner of Whiteford and Sterns Rd. and sits on 93 acres of property donated to the township by Stoneco of Michigan around 2006. The park opened in 2008.
Today, the park includes six ball diamonds, a walking trail on the outside of the property as well as through a wooded area, a restored natural prairie, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Plans in the immediate future call for the installation of shelter areas near the ball diamonds, a handicapped-accessible parking area close to the fields, parking lot improvements and paved tee boxes for the disc golf course.
The township continues to seek grants as well as private donations and volunteers to continue the improvements at the park.
Anyone interested in future donations for the park, particularly aimed at upgrading a ball field, the disc golf course or other projects at the park should contact Whiteford Township.
