City Park Project on Deck on Ninth St. W.

By Lisa Neff

Bradenton is stepping up to the plate.

The city, in a league with Manatee County, the School District of Manatee, the Manatee Police Athletic League and more, has embarked on designing and preparing the site for the City Park project off Ninth Street West between 17th Avenue West and 13th Avenue West.

For more than a century, baseball has been played on a field along Ninth Street West, where the oldest stadium used for spring training stands — formerly McKechnie Field, Braves Field, Ninth Street Park and City Park and now LECOM Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Bradenton Marauders.

In mid-February, before the Bucs began swinging their bats in spring training, the city took down the old city public works building, 1411 Ninth St. W., just north of the stadium. The demolition ushered in a new phase for City Park, described in a news release from the city as “a dynamic space that will connect downtown Bradenton to Village of the Arts and the 9th Street West entertainment district.”

The project involves creating a third baseball field, redesigning a second field, expanding parking opportunities and upgrading facilities to host baseball tournaments, drive tourism, boost local business revenue and “further revitalize the downtown area, all while preserving the historical significance of City Park Field, which dates back over a century,” according to the city.

“The project will include a public park, concessions for food and beverage vendors, space for art and public markets and access to baseball facilities that will benefit the promotion and proliferation of the sport,” Tiffany Shadik, city public information manager, said April 9. “It will also feature areas for concerts, movies and other community events.”

In addition, the project involves building a community resource center offering essential services to underserved schools and neighborhoods by housing athletic programs, child and adult education, career development initiatives and family support services.

“This will be made possible through a partnership with the city, Manatee County Government, School District of Manatee County and The Manatee Police Athletic League,” Shadik said.

In March, the Bradenton City Council voted for a $1.2 million contract to hire Fawley Bryant Architects Inc. to design the project, create construction documents and cost estimates and administer construction, according to the 22-page agreement.

The scope of services runs more than two pages, with a new third field “replicating” dimensions and characteristics of the Pirates’ PNC Park in Pittsburgh, an LED scoreboard, turf, fencing, aluminum-roof dugouts and bullpens, seating for 300 behind home plate, a public-address system and netting.

The existing practice field will get new dugouts and bullpens, a scoreboard, field lighting and seats for 300 spectators.

A batting tunnel near the stadium bullpen is planned, as well as a 2,500-square-foot building for the concessions, retail and restrooms.

“The project is spearheaded by the city of Bradenton and our partners at Manatee County Government,” Shadik said of the funding. “We’ve also received support from Congressman Vern Buchanan and grant funding for the Community Resource Center.”

Already the city is working with the Manatee County Tourist Development Council, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and schools to identify potential tournaments for the site, Shadik said.

“The Bradenton Growers played there from 1923, 1924 and again in 1926,” Shadik said of the grounds. “In additional to baseball, the site was used as a training field for the U.S. military, serving as Camp Weatherford from 1941-1945. We intend to honor and preserve that rich history.”