Morrison Field Redevelopment Project Reaches Halfway Point

For more than 40 years, Westwood Little League (WLL) has called Morrison Park home. But as time has gone on, the park has become increasingly worn and no longer meets Little League regulations. In response to this, Westwood Little League has undertaken a collaborative project with the town to revive the park.

The plan is to move the fence to 200 feet from home plate, install real dugouts, upgrade the snack shack, construct a small playground area, relocate light towers, move the home plate and backstop of the softball field and to improve the landscaping. The tennis courts at Morrison Park have also been in a state of disrepair for some time, and will have to be removed as well.

“We are very excited about the project. It has received tremendous feedback so far,” Westwood Little League President John Loughnane said. “But we need broad-based community support. It wouldn’t be right if a few major investors funded this project. This is a community project and the community chipping in offers them a piece of ownership. We need to make this a public/private project. The leadership donations are crucial but the community activity is what will carry this to the finish line.”

The Morrison Revitalization Project is offering plaques, bricks, café tables, park benches, picnic tables and bleachers, all of which are available for dedications and commemorations. The Little League is encouraging people to contribute what ever they can to this project in a broad community fundraising effort on their website, www.westwoodlittleleague.com.

“Major work has been undertaking in the last year to formulate conceptual plans for an updated Morrison Park. WLL contracted with an architectural firm in Wellesley that designed a similar ballpark in a prime location in that town which received rave reviews.  In addition, a working group in town has meet regularly to shape plans,” Loughnane said. “The Recreation Commission, Recreation Director and Department of Public Works Director all strongly support redevelopment. Also, the Westwood Board of Selectmen also expressed appreciation for the concept of Morrison redevelopment.”

Loughnane said Westwood Little League, with the commitment to working with the Town, hopes to achieve their goal of rededicating the park on opening day of WLL’s season in 2013.

“We are at the midpoint. We formally announced this at a Hot Stove Event in January,” Loughnane said. “A lot of the work has been meetings, conversations, design work and behind the scenes at the drawing board, but we expect to see shovels in the ground later this summer. There are more fund raising and deisgn work to come, but the second phase of the project will be more visible for people.“