A renovated baseball field was dedicated today at Ted Watkins Memorial Park in the unincorporated Florence-Firestone area
bordering South Los Angeles, financed by a combination of funding from Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the LA84 Foundation.
The field includes a new laser-leveled infield surface including a new infield mix, new bases, a new infield watering system, a new laser leveled outfield surface including new sprinkler heads and new sod, new dugout roofs, 6-foot side and outfield fences, a new remote-controlled solar-powered scoreboard and new field signage.
Dodger first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, fellow infielders Miguel Rojas and Justin Turner and relief pitcher Chris Perez led a youth baseball clinic following the dedication.
The field is the 34th to be renovated or built under the Dodgers Dreamfields program, which began in 2003 when the team was owned by the Fox Group.
“For young people who play baseball at Ted Watkins Park, this new Dreamfield will be a beautiful place to enjoy a great game and reinforce crucial values of teamwork and sportsmanship, values that will serve them well throughout their lives,” said Russ Guiney, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s recreation director.
Ted Watkins Memorial Park is operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. The LA84 Foundation manages Southern California’s share of the surplus from the 1984 Summer Olympics.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, the team’s official charity, supports programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy, health and wellness benefiting children and families throughout the Los Angeles area.
The foundation’s programs are funded through private donations and various fundraising events. Team funds are not used.