Countryside to renovate baseball field at City Park

By Steve Metsch

Youth baseball players in Countryside will have an improved ball field to play on in City Park next year.

The city council at its Sept. 14 meeting unanimously approved paying Sportfields Inc., of Alsip, $29,800 to do the renovation work.

Ald. Mark Benson (3rd) told the council the work “is long overdue and it’s a good thing for our two entities that use that field and for any other kids who want to play baseball there.”

After the meeting, Benson said the city “is basically expanding the field to allow for the La Grange Highlands Hurricanes, who have a lot of Countryside residents, a travel league.”

The ballfield is just east of Countryside Park, at the end of 61st Street.

“Plus, the field’s in pretty bad shape after all the heavy rains we’ve had,” he said. “Making it a lot safer for the kids to play out there.”

Ald. Scott Musillami (3rd), who formerly was president of the La Grange Babe Ruth Baseball League, said it’s the right time of year to reseed the field.

“The field is beat up,” he said. “When they built it, it was a very nice field, but the wear and tear, this will be a good thing to do. … We want to make this a showplace.”

During public comments, young ballplayer Carson Brauer – who showed up in his uniform – thanked the city council.

“Baseball is my favorite sport and now I will have a perfect field to practice and play on. I can’t wait to play baseball in my hometown of Countryside for my whole youth career,” said Carson, who plays for the Hurricanes and in the Lyons Township Little League.

His father, Jason Brauer, also thanked the council for improving the field.

In other business, Musillami, head of the Special Events Committee, said the city’s first bluegrass festival held in August was a success.

“I thought it was a great addition, well attended. It was nice to have a couple of brewery trucks, which I did indulge in. Modestly,” Musillami said.

Another bluegrass festival is likely in 2023, he said.