WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Ron Diemer and many others from central Pennsylvania grew up playing baseball in Williamsport's Brandon Park.
"My home league was over there in Newberry, but I got to play on these fields during All-Star time, and when we played there, these were the Brandon Fields, the premier Little League fields in the city, and everybody loved playing there," said Diemer.
Diemer is now the President of the Williamsport Area Little League.
For nearly a decade, the ball fields in Brandon Park have been unplayable.
The Little League chapter currently plays games in Old Lycoming Township.
"Little League baseball and softball has not been played within the limits of the city of Williamsport since 2014-2015," said Diemer.
However, that is set to change for the 2024 Little League season.
Thanks to more than $600,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act, the city of Williamsport is restoring the Little League baseball and softball fields in Brandon Park.
Construction is already underway.
"All new surface, all new fencing, brand new dugouts, completely redesigned for drainage, and when it is all said and done, it will be two playable fields for kids for many and many decades to come," said city engineer Jon Sander.
"The hope is that our opening day will be held on these fields here next year, as a board, we are already talking about what we are going to do, and it is getting very, very exciting," added Diemer.
The Williamsport Area Little League has extra funds to the give the press boxes and concession stands a makeover.
"We are going to need to stock these things, paint these things, and clean these things up. There is a lot of things as a league that we still need to do," Diemer said.
According to the city, the baseball and softball fields in Brandon Park will be finished by June.
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